MP visits Northamptonshire community healthcare clinic

Mike Reader MP was invited to visit CHEC Northampton, based at Sol Centre to meet its team and gain a first-hand insight into the benefits of community healthcare, including improved patient choice, increased accessibility and shorter waiting times for NHS patients.

CHEC provides ophthalmology and gastroenterology services to patients in Northamptonshire, with its community approach to healthcare provision enabling patients to be seen in four weeks or less, dramatically enhancing their quality of life.

Since opening its doors in 2022, CHEC Northampton has been undertaking a project to open ‘spoke’ clinics across the region, increasing equity of access to specialist healthcare and relieving local waiting lists for outpatient, elective and diagnostic services. Since November 2024, clinics have become available at The Long Buckby Practice, Saxon Spires Brixworth and Albany House Medical Centre in Swellingborough.

Joshua Phillips, Hospital Manager, said: “It was a pleasure to welcome Mike Reader MP to our hospital, and offer a real-time insight into how our processes and support team help to reduce local waiting times for vital procedures.

“Since opening our doors, we have consulted thousands of patients, but we know not everybody feels able to travel as far as the hospital. That’s why our spokes are so important. They break down barriers and make it easier than ever for us to complete the healthcare journeys our patients are taking, closer to home. Now we have several community clinics across Northamptonshire, we look forward to seeing the invaluable difference we can make.”

In 2023/24, CHEC treated more than 372,000 ophthalmology patients with an average wait time of less than four weeks. CHEC hospitals span the country’s major towns and cities, and each hospital is supported by a minimum of three community clinics, placed in more remote locations, in line with where patients say access to NHS treatment is particularly challenging.

To learn more about accessing the treatments CHEC provides in partnership with the NHS, please visit www.chec.uk