The new Coulsdon medical centre is set to open its doors next April, bringing a significant boost to GP services in the south London town.
The purpose-built centre will be run by Keston Medical Practice, which currently serves patients from its base in nearby Purley. Once fully operational, it is expected to deliver around 35,000 additional GP appointments every year — a major increase in capacity for local residents who have long called for better access to primary care.
Construction of the building is expected to be finished by the end of February, with the first patients due to be welcomed two months later. After years of planning and building work, the long-awaited project is now entering its final stretch.
The scheme was made possible by £9.8 million of government funding secured nearly three years ago. Local councillors supported the campaign to bring the centre to Coulsdon, while Croydon Mayor Jason Perry ensured that suitable land was made available and helped facilitate its transfer so the project could move forward.
Recent progress was marked by a visit to the construction site from Councillors Margaret Bird and Luke Shortland, joined by Matthew Kershaw, chief executive of Croydon Health Services NHS Trust. The visit offered a chance to see the new building taking shape and to discuss the remaining steps before opening day.
Alongside a full range of GP services, the centre is also expected to offer blood testing and community diagnostic services. Bringing these services into the heart of Coulsdon means patients will be able to access more of their care closer to home, rather than travelling further afield for routine tests and checks.
The planned diagnostic services reflect a wider shift in the NHS towards delivering routine tests in community settings rather than hospitals. By separating planned checks from urgent and emergency care, community-based services can help cut waiting times and free up hospital capacity — while giving patients appointments closer to where they live.
For many residents, that convenience will make a real difference. Families juggling work and childcare, older people who find longer journeys difficult, and those living with long-term conditions that need regular monitoring all stand to benefit from having appointments and tests available nearby.
Being able to have blood tests and diagnostics carried out locally can also help people get answers more quickly. Removing the need for an extra trip to a hospital or distant clinic makes it easier to fit healthcare around everyday life and can shorten the wait between having a test and receiving the results.
Keston Medical Practice, currently based in Purley, will operate the new site. The new building will give the practice a modern home and the room it needs to deliver the tens of thousands of extra appointments planned for each year.
The opening follows a sustained effort to turn funding into a finished building. Securing the £9.8 million was an essential first step, but delivering the centre has required years of detailed work from local councillors, NHS teams and everyone involved in the planning and construction.
Expectations in the town are high. Easier access to GP appointments remains one of the most common concerns raised by residents, and the additional 35,000 appointments a year are intended to go a long way towards easing pressure on local services.
With construction nearing completion, attention is now turning to the final preparations for opening. Residents have waited a long time for the centre — and the priority now is to get the doors open and deliver the extra appointments and local services the community needs.
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