£2m loan for new surgery (From Daily Echo)
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Wickham Surgery to go ahead thanks to loan from RBS
3:40pm Thursday 3rd January 2013 in News By Wes Rock, Reporter
Christopher Mann (RBS), Dr Stephen Smallwood, Dr Jill Foot and Sharon Warren (practice manager)
A HAMPSHIRE village has seen the arrival of a state-of-the-art doctor’s surgery thanks to a £2million loan.
The Wickham surgery covers 11,000sq ft, including an on-site dispensary and additional private consulting rooms that are to be used by local consultants for both private and NHS clinics.
The Gudgeon Wing will accommodate a diabetes clinic and an audiology clinic, as well as hosting consultations for orthopaedic surgery, gastroenterology, dermatology, allergies, pain management, urology and physiotherapy.
It was made possible thanks to a £2million loan from RBS, which structured the financing using the European Investment Bank (EIB) loan scheme, a government-backed initiative which was made available for small-to-medium sized enterprises.
Dr Jill Foot, one of seven equity partners at the surgery, said: “The move to the new surgery is very exciting for both the doctors and our patients.”
Christopher Mann, of RBS, said: “We are sure it will be a valuable asset greatly improving the primary healthcare provision in Wickham.
“We are delighted to support the partners of Wickham Surgery and believe this deal highlights our funding appetite within the GP sector and our desire to be involved with such new developments.”
The new surgery is on Houghton Way, off Mill Lane, and is one of the last Primary Care Trust-approved new GP Surgeries.
