ANOTHER piece of the jigsaw has fallen into place after NHS bosses approved funding for a super surgery in Witham.

The town’s MP, Priti Patel, has been campaigning with councillors and GPs for a multipurpose surgery housing all of the town’s GPs.

She applied to the NHS Estates and Technology Transformation Fund for further funding, and on Tuesday found out an undisclosed sum had been approved.

She said: “This is another step forward in the right direction and follows the minimum £3million commitment from Braintree Council earlier in the year.

“My campaign to build a new health centre is on track.

“I look forward to working with GPs and partners on the next stages of this project in order to meet the growing future needs of my constituents and patients in Witham, whilst also addressing other issues and help to curb local pressures and improve future capacity, accessibility and quality of provision.”

It has not been revealed how much money will be given towards the project, but it will be used to find potential sites and services.

Alison Cowie, head of commissioning in the Midlands and East, said: “NHS England has agreed to look at potential options for a healthcare facility in the Witham area.

“However, this work is at a very early stage and no decisions on a new facility have been made.

“Funding has been supported in principle. This money will enable NHS England and the Clinical Commissioning Group to consider a number of options, including potential sites for any new facility, the services it might deliver, the amount of funding that would be needed and if it would provide good value for money.

“NHS England will work closely with NHS Mid Essex CCG and Braintree Council on these options and plans, as they develop.”

Witham councillor Angela Kilmartin said the main concern was location.

She said: “It is very badly needed and the doctors have all done very well to get together and they have now seen that the population is going to sprout.

“They have got to have better health facilities and the only way that can be achieved is through a multipurpose facility.

“It has got to be central and it must be on a bus route.”