Go-ahead given to health clinic

Plans for a medical clinic which had expected to be rejected by councillors have been given the go-ahead.

East Northamptonshire councillors gave permission for Kettering General Hospital to build a new outpatients centre at a meeting on Wednesday night.

It will replace Irthlingborough's Rushden Memorial Clinic and should mean fewer patients at the hospital.

The clinic will be built close to Rushden and Diamonds' football ground and care for 40,000 patients a year.

'Limited life'

Officers at East Northamptonshire Council were concerned about access from the nearby A45 and recommended council members reject the plan.

MP for Wellingborough Peter Bone said more than 6,000 people had forwarded him their objections to the closure of the Rushden clinic.

MP for Corby and East Northamptonshire Phil Hope said the decision is "a victory for common sense and putting the health needs of local residents first."

The clinic will offer services including general surgery, urology, trauma and orthopaedics, cardiology, X-ray and dermatology services.

A spokesman for the hospital said the Rushden clinic had a "limited life".