The cross-party Dereham Health and Care Summit, called by George Freeman, MP for Mid Norfolk, is scheduled for Friday (July 17).
This will bring together councils, GP surgeries, pharmacies, dentists, care homes, health charities, patient bodies, and NHS commissioners to develop a unified plan.
It follows the closure of Toftwood Medical Practice last year, which displaced thousands of patients to two surgeries and increased pressure on existing services.
Toftwood Medical Practice in Dereham closed in March last year. (Image: Newsquest)
Theatre Royal Surgery introduced extra clinics on Saturdays, more remote appointments during the week, and a new modular building to cope with the demand.
Mr Freeman said the pressure was “set to worsen fast” – highlighting the government’s new “50pc increase in new housebuilding targets”.
He added that the summit hopes to agree a single plan for Dereham and a bid to the NHS and Department of Health and Social Care.
Mr Freeman continued: “This is the next step towards the town putting forward a shared, cross-party plan for Dereham’s health and care provision and the investment in a new Toftwood Medical Centre the town urgently needs”.
George Freeman, MP for Mid Norfolk, has convened a cross-party health and care summit for Dereham (Image: George Freeman)
The MP previously wrote a letter to Stephen Kinnock, minister of care, and Dr Ed Garratt at the Norfolk and Suffolk ICB, asking them to support a bid for a new Neighbourhood Health Centre to be built in south Dereham.
The government has pledged to open 250 centres by 2035, with the first 120 open by 2030.
Once completed, patients can access a wider range of health services from these centres – all under one roof and closer to their homes – including urgent treatment, GP and pharmacy services.
It was also highlighted that NHCs will eventually include debt advice, employment and family support and be open 12 hours a day, six days a week.