An 8am to 8pm GP-led clinic available 365 days a year is opening in Corby on December 1 after Northamptonshire Primary Care Trust confirmed yesterday that the Lakeside Surgery in Cottingham Road has won the contract to provide the new service.

The trust is looking at bids for a similar surgery in Kettering and has plans for a Wellingborough polyclinic designed to cope with the expected population growth in North Northamptonshire.

Sue Basham, director of corporate services and human resources for the trust, said: "Corby's is one of the first clinics of its kind in the country, giving people more choices and access to a GP eight till eight, 365 days a year."

A quarter of the Corby site will become Lakeside Plus, providing GP appointments and a nurse-led minor injuries walk-in service able to deal with 100 patients a week.

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Dr Peter Wilczynski, from Lakeside, which has 14 partners and looks after 27,000 people, said: "The idea is patients will not have to go to Kettering all the time."

He said there are some people in the town who are not registered with a doctor and hopes the new service will be able to tap into some of these communities.

During yesterday's announcement, trust chiefs refused to reveal the cost of the service, saying it would not be appropriate as the bidding process for the Kettering clinic is still in progress.
B
ut Liz Horcastle, 54, of James Watt Avenue, Corby, said: "This is something that is needed in Corby.
"I am registered with a GP but it is always good to have somewhere when you need it urgently."

Cora Edwards, 26, from Mill Road, Kettering, said: "I think it's a good idea especially for holiday periods because sometimes you don't feel bad enough to call out the emergency doctor or go to casualty but you do feel like you need some medicine to help you feel better.

"It's also good for people who work during the day and can't always get out of work to visit the doctor."