Middleton surgery's equipment boost

The Friends of the Avisford Medical Group has raised 6,000 to equip a new extension to its Middleton surgery.

The donation has paid for an electric couch and a ceiling light to enable minor surgery, such as removing moles, to be carried out.

A phlebotomy chair for blood taking has also been bought along with several smaller items.

The extension was opened last Wednesday. March 13,by the Friends' chairman, Ted Chandler, and Dr David Peters, the practice's senior partner.

Dr Peters paid tribute to the Friends whose 400 members have raised 37,500 in the past six years through events such as book sales.

"They make an enormous difference to the practice. They have bought all sorts of things for patients that would not normally be provided," he stated. "We will be able to give more care to our patients with the extension. We are also hoping to train students and young doctors. But we needed more room to do that."

The extension comprises a treatment room, two consulting rooms and a room for meetings or training.

It is the biggest change to the surgery with its treatment room and four consulting rooms since it was built in the Shrubbs Drive car park in 1990.

Mr Chandler said: "It is a wonderful sum of money we have raised for the extension. People are very generous to us.

"It will make a big difference to the patients to have more rooms for treatment from the doctors.

"We meet the doctors regularly and try to provide what they want for the surgery."

The Middleton surgery has some 4,000 patients and eight nurses. Dr Peters is its only dedicated GP.

A further seven doctors combine their appointments there with the group's surgery in Yapton.