KING George V was on the throne and the tomb of Tutankhamun had just been discovered when the people of Poole first started using the Carlisle House surgery in Lagland Street.

Now, 97 years after it first opened, work has started this week on its new home, the Lifeboat Quay Medical Centre, which will open later this year.

The £1.5 million investment will benefit the existing 6,000 patients of Dr Nelms and partners, and has been funded by a number of bodies, including Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group and the NHS Estates and Technology Transformation Fund.

Increases in population and changing demands have been a key consideration in the planning and development of the surgery which is expected to take up to 13,500 patients.

Practice Manager of Carlisle House Surgery, Jill Tobin, said: “The relocation of Carlisle House Surgery to new, high quality premises is exciting news, both for our current patients and those we would expect to see join us as the local population grows over the coming years. The feedback we have received from patients so far has definitely echoed this."

She said the patients and staff were 'very fond' of their current site in Lagland Street which has operated as a GP surgery since 1922. "However, we do recognise that this is now outdated and undersized and unable to meet the demands of a modern General Practice," she said.

The new complex will include up to 84 parking spaces, and allocated spaces for disabled patients will mean improved access for those attending appointments by car. There is also a bus stop just 100m away for patients who are using public transport.

It is expected the new premises will open during the Summer of 2019 and will allow the practice to offer treatments and services encompassing the latest technology. In the meantime, services will continue as normal from Carlisle House Surgery.