Council expresses disappointment at Great Western Park surgery delay
Vale of White Horse District Council has expressed its disappointment following an update issued this week by the Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care System Board (BOB ICB) regarding the delivery of the new GP surgery at Great Western Park in Didcot.
The ICB confirmed that it will no longer be progressing with the developer Assura as the development partner for the GP surgery project, following a full review of costings for the project.
Reacting to the announcement, Cllr Andy Crawford, Vale of White Horse Cabinet Member for Property and Housing said: “This week’s news of a further delay to the delivery of the health care centre is highly disappointing.
“This situation is ultimately indicative of current government policy on private finance in health care – and the inherent weaknesses in this approach. I am personally not supportive of the private financing of health care facilities especially because it creates financing costs to be borne by the health sector which can be up to double that compared with capital raised direct by the government. However, this is a policy position that the government are wedded to and they have made it clear that they have no intention of changing their position.
“We are closely engaged with the ICB, and we know they are working proactively to find an alternative developer. We are helping where we can and look forward to being able to support the progress of this element of the project as soon as possible.
“We continue to progress our own work, including the transfer of the site (due in January 2026) and will review our existing decisions to ensure we proactively update these where required given the change in developer position.”
Frustrations around the delays to the delivery of the surgery and the impact of issues with private finance in the NHS were also the subject of a question and a motion at a busy Vale of White Horse Council meeting on Wednesday 10 December.
A question from Cllr Gascoigne asked what reassurances the council could give that they are working with BOB ICB to facilitate the surgery’s delivery.
Councillor Crawford responded that the challenge is not one of political will but of financial viability.
Cllr Crawford explained: “The GWP Health Centre has always been planned under a private finance arrangement that the council has not had any direct involvement in.
“The developer requires a lease commitment before construction, and GP partners—who are personally liable for debts—must ensure rent levels are sustainable. Current finance costs under private models are very significantly higher than public borrowing, which creates affordability issues.
“The council has no legal or financial role in setting rents between the third-party developer and the GP, or underwriting agreements. We continue to engage with the Integrated Care Board and other stakeholders as much as we possibly can, but our influence is limited.
“This council, and I, as Cabinet member for Property, will continue to press for progress and support stakeholders where possible, but it is important to be clear about what is within our control and what is not.”
A motion passed at council, raised by Cllr James, and seconded by Cllr Dewhurst, also set out how the interminable delays to the delivery of the Great Western Park GP surgery are emblematic of the fundamental weaknesses of the private finance model in the delivery of healthcare estate projects across the UK.
Members debated the topic and agreed to write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, to highlight the block in delivering a new health centre for our residents in the Didcot area that has arisen from the involvement of private finance in delivering new health care facilities, asking them to take steps to finally deliver this long-promised health facility in a financially sustainable way.
They also resolved to request that the Secretary of State reflects upon current Government policy on private finance in health care and uses the lesson of the GWP health centre in Didcot to improve the delivery of future projects elsewhere.
The ICB publish all updates on their website at Great Western Park, Didcot GP Services.
