LOCHGELLY Community Council says they can't wait five years for a new health centre in the town and will hold a second public meeting.

They believe the current facility in David Street is "past its sell-by date" and unable to cope with the increase in patients due to new housing developments.

A petition has already been started and the public meeting will take place on Tuesday May 17 in St Serfs Church at 6.30pm

Community council chairman, Brian Schulz, said: "Lochgelly Community Council area has a higher level of people with more than one significant illness in comparison with Fife and Scotland, a higher level of prescribed medication for mental health than Fife and Scotland and is an area of multi-deprivation.

"It is our belief that there are longer term benefits achieved by providing support to address the source the problems.

"We shouldn’t have to wait five years or longer for a new facility.

"We believe that only a joint campaign will achieve our objectives and to date we have had no objections from across the political divide."

The call for public support follows on from the work of the Health Round Table, which was established following concerns raised by the community council about social and health problems in the town.

The group want Shona Robison, the Scottish Government's cabinet secretary for health, wellbeing and sport, to back the plan and said they have cross-party support.

Mr Schulz explained why they needed a new health centre: "The practice wasn’t expected to provide health cover for areas outwith the town.

"It is evident as soon as you enter the property that it isn’t suitable for the volume of people who are using it.

"The structure itself is crumbling and despite the best efforts of staff it cannot be maintained to safe standard.”

And he continued: "The purpose of our campaign is to get a facility that offers a full range of services including GP, counselling, social work, housing, money advice etc.

"The intention is to identify and tackle the source of the problem and not simply treat the symptoms.

"If we get a new facility that houses the range of support services needed then patients could be redirected to the most appropriate area which would free up time for the GP and reduce waiting times.

"We understand that there is a business case being developed, however from the February meeting of the NHS Fife capital project board, it is evident that there are no specific plans for funding a new build in Lochgelly for the next five years."

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