Exeter GPs expand neighbourhood health services

Patients in Exeter will benefit from improved access to local healthcare as St Leonard’s Practice opens five new clinical rooms to expand neighbourhood health services.

The new purpose-built clinical rooms at St Leonard’s Practice will enable more services to be delivered closer to where people live, including audiology, physiotherapy and ear care. This investment will increase capacity and help more patients access timely care in their community.

St Leonard’s Practice already hosts an on-site pharmacy and provides care for thousands of patients in Exeter. The expansion reflects a wider commitment across the NHS to strengthen neighbourhood health services and make it easier for people to receive care locally, without needing to travel to hospital where it is not necessary.

Dr Alistair Buick, GP Partner at St Leonard’s Practice, said:
“Patients, staff and the wider NHS all share the goal of providing more care closer to home. Having modern, high-quality clinical space is essential to making that possible. These additional rooms will allow us to expand the range of services we offer and ensure patients can access safe, timely and effective care within their community.”

St Leonard’s Practice is part of the Exeter City Primary Care Network (PCN), working alongside Barnfield Hill Surgery, Southernhay House Surgery and Whipton Surgery. Primary Care Networks bring GP practices together with other health professionals to provide joined-up services for local populations.

Through this partnership, patients across the network can access a wider range of neighbourhood services, including same-day mental health support, menopause care and physiotherapy.

Zoe Trevascus, Primary Care Network Manager for Exeter City PCN, said:
“We know patients value being able to access care quickly and close to home. Increasing clinical space at St Leonard’s Practice strengthens our ability to work together across the network and provide more support locally. This benefits patients across Exeter and helps us deliver more joined-up, responsive care.”

The new clinical rooms form part of a wider ambition across the NHS to deliver more care in community settings. By bringing services together in neighbourhood locations, patients can receive more of their care in familiar surroundings, improving access and supporting earlier intervention.

Dr Simon Ogilvie, Managing Partner at St Leonard’s Practice, said:
“This is an important investment in the future of local healthcare. These new rooms will help us expand services and improve access for our patients. Our team is proud to be strengthening the care we provide and supporting the health of our community.”

NHS Devon has welcomed the expansion as part of ongoing work to improve access to primary care and develop neighbourhood health services across the county as part of the NHS’s 10 Year Health Plan.

Paul Green, Director of Primary Care at NHS Devon, said:
“Expanding neighbourhood health services is central to improving access and ensuring patients receive the right care in the right place. The expansion of clinical room at St Leonard’s Practice will help more people in Exeter access services closer to home and supports our wider work to strengthen primary care and improve patient experience across Devon.”