A modern purpose built health centre is still without doctors despite the multi-million pound opening at the start of the year.
Now a ward councillor believes Little Lever Health Centre may not operate until next year.
Calls for the village to have a health centre have been made for a number of years, with work finally getting underway in December 2019.
Little Lever Library relocated to the hub in February this year.
Cllr Sean Hornby believes health services might not operate until January or February next year, which would make it almost a year since the Little Lever Library was relocated.
He says that the local community is “fast losing faith”, and that “nothing is happening”.
Cllr Hornby added: “They haven’t even moved a piece of furniture in, and there isn’t even obscure glass.
“I just feel as though I am hitting a brick wall and I am trying to get some answers as to what is happening.
“It’s frustrating.”
Cllr Hornby says that he is due to have a meeting at the end of this month to try and get some answers as to when the issues will be resolved.
Cllr Sue Baines who is the Executive Cabinet Member for Wellbeing says she shares Cllr Hornby’s frustration along with the residents in Little Lever.
She explained that some of the delays were due to Bolton becoming part of the Integrated Care System as part of Greater Manchester, that has moved to a place based neighbourhood partnership model.
She added: “There have been strategic leadership changes as a result, and Bolton Hospital NHS Foundation Trust therefore agreed to take on the head lease, and sub-let the facility to the GPs before the library was officially opened.
“However, the NHS have been struggling to accommodate increased build, fit out, and service charge costs, which turned out to be greater than their original funding envelope.”
Cllr Baines says that there has since been ongoing negotiation between the council and the NHS, and between GP practices and the NHS in Little Lever, to determine how the “additional”, “unavoidable”, and “unforeseen” costs could be distributed fairly.
Cllr Baines explained that now all that is left is for the council to finalise lease terms with the NHS.
She added: “These new premises are a huge improvement on the GPs current premise and as such are much needed by residents of Little Lever.
“They have waited a long time for better facilities.
“Council officers will therefore continue to move at pace to secure a lease agreement that will enable GPs to occupy the property at the earliest opportunity without doing so at the council’s expense.
“The GPs involved have been and continue to be fully compliant and are ready and keen to move into their new premise.”
Cllr Hornby says one of the benefits is that it will be the first prefabricated council owned building to be built in recent times that is notMo a PFI.
Once complete the centre is expected to provide three GP surgeries and other medical support, including treatment for long-term conditions in the community.
The centre replaces the town’s 40-year-old health centre — which was deemed no longer fit-for-use by the former Bolton NHS Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).
The centre was also built with environmentally friendly features, including solar panels, which are expected to be even more efficient.
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