THOUSANDS of patients in Monmouthshire will benefit from improved facilities and services at their GP surgeries if two major development projects secure Welsh Government approval.

Monmouth’s Dixton Surgery and Magor Surgery are earmarked for relocation in new buildings by the end of 2013, under plans published by Aneurin Bevan Health Board.

Both existing surgeries are in urgent need of replacement due to a range of issues, such as being too small, unsuitable for expansion, and incapable of meeting health and safety, and infection control standards.

In the case of Dixton Surgery the current premises, a converted home, has been extended three times in the last 20 years and there is no room left on the site.

The surgery currently has 3,705 patients on its list, but the proposed new surgery, a mile away on the other side of Monmouth, next to the Monnow Vale health and social care facility, would cater eventually for around 5,000, taking into account new and proposed housing developments in the town and surrounding area.

Magor Surgery is a branch of the Caldicot Medical Group, which has its main surgery in Caldicot and handles around 20,000 patients, the third largest list inWales.

Around 7,000 use the Magor Surgery, but new and proposed housing developments mean this will increase to 8,800 so a new surgery is vital.

A site known as Three Fields has been identified as a potential site, which would involve a link with Magor with Undy Sports and Leisure Association, which wants to build a sports and community facility there.

Both the Monmouth and Magor projects would result in the provision of more health services for patients and will involve considerable investment, funded through a third party developer and renting back arrangement.