A former bank building in Barnoldswick town centre would be ‘utterly inadequate’ for people’s needs if services were fully transferred into a new NHS health clinic, councillors have claimed.
Coun Church said: “If I spoke about all the ills of the strangled and starved NHS, we would be here all night. However, there are particular issues with Pendle and West Craven. The new Barnoldswick premises would offer modern accommodation at a high street location but would be smaller than the old clinic, councillors were informed. Some patients who are able to travel further could be seen at Colne Health Centre, which is four miles away, as an ‘overflow solution’, it was said.
Coun Church added: “This council notes with extreme concern the crisis with health services at all levels, with primary care services failing because of GP and dentist shortages, inadequate primary care services in some parts of the borough, acute hospital services regularly being beyond breaking point, inadequate social care and the impact on ambulance service and response times. This is all leading to a system in melt-down, with terrible consequences for residents.