Plans for dentist and pharmacy in Rackheath health hub

The practice will also be joined by a pharmacy and opticians if the proposals are approved.

The site for the new 'care hub' in the south of Rackheath, on a plot of land next to where a huge new medical hub is being built in Broad Lane.

From left: James Onwuka and Jules Royle, who work at Rackheath Pharmacy, with Tony Emes, Cllr Martin Murrell, MP Jerome Mayhew, and Cllrs Fran Whymark and Ian Mackie (Image: Emily Goodwin) Chandra Ondhia, who owns the Rackheath Pharmacy in Bernard Close, has submitted the plans for the centre to Broadland District Council.

He said: "Once the dental surgery is open it could serve around 6,000 patients. 

"We are currently in negotiations but it is hoped that this will take a mixture of NHS and private patients.

"This will initially serve the Rackheath and greater Norwich area but as it expands we hope to open it up to more people."

The care hub will include a pharmacy, dentist surgery, optician and consulting space (Image: Chaplin Farrant) He also submitted plans for opticians, with negotiations ongoing with a national chain to move into the new site, and a pharmacy.

Mr Ondhia added: "We are very proud to be part of this exciting project which will provide more healthcare services to the local community.

"We will be moving from our current location to next to the new medical centre to ensure that patients have better access to our pharmacy services. 

"The new pharmacy will have four consulting rooms which we can use for vaccinations and blood pressure monitoring.

"Eventually, this pharmacy could serve up to 10,000 patients alongside the medical centre."

The land set for development is directly behind a new medical hub (Image: Chaplin Farrant) Plans for a 92-bed residential care home emerged for this site earlier in the year - but according to the proposals, this scheme will not be built and the landowner is looking to sell to Mr Ondhia.

MP for Broadland and Fakenham, Jerome Mayhew, has firmly supported the news.

MP Jerome Mayhew (Image: Newsquest) He said: "This is exactly what we need - really good, quality facilities as close to the population as possible.

READ MORE: Work starts on huge medical centre in city outskirts

"This will be a one-stop shop - you could go to the health centre, pharmacy, opticians and dental surgery all at the same spot just off the NDR.

"One of the real challenges we have in Norfolk is a real lack of physical dentists and I have been campaigning for years to have a dental training facility at the UEA.

"We need more healthcare provision to cope with all the new housing and to improve access for our existing population as well."