EXPANSION plans for Launceston's Medical Centre are still unable to progress, a meeting of its patient participation group has been told.

The centre's business manager Peter Harper told the annual meeting of Launceston Patient Participation Group on January 28 that he had received no update on when the proposed national guidelines — Principles of Best Practice — for surgery/medical centre development would be approved.

Until these guidelines were signed off, no decisions would be made on plans for expanding medical centres.

It had been reported before Christmas that the guidelines were waiting to be signed by Earl Howe, Under Secretary of State for Quality at the Department of Health, and several members of the group had written urging him to sign them off.

In response they received letters 'appreciating their concerns' but saying that NHS England, not Earl Howe, was responsible for publishing the guidelines.

But North Cornwall Liberal Democrat MP Dan Rogerson claims NHS England and Conservative Health Ministers are 'passing the buck' on the issue of approving the guidelines to allow GP practices to expand.

For the full report, and a round-up of the area news and sport, see this week's edition of the Post.