The premises at Earby were built in the late 1970s and have been altered on numerous occasions to adapt to changing needs. The patients' entrance leads up a long ramp into a spacious waiting area, which was designed with the help of the patients' advisory group. A well-equipped children's play area is situated away from the reception area and the patients' toilets with nappy changing facilities are easily accessible from the waiting area. Numerous notice boards line the ramp and waiting area.
The reception area allows a clear view of the waiting room, and has been modified to give more privacy for conversations at the reception desk. The main office is next to the reception area.
Two consulting rooms for GPs and one for health visitors open directly on to the waiting area. A corridor from the waiting area leads to 7 further consulting rooms, 4 for GPs; one used by the practice nurses attached to a minor surgery room; one for the senior practice nurse and one used by the health care assistant. A semi-private area behind the reception area contains the practice manager's office, the staff toilet, cleaner's cupboard, and a small laboratory, which houses the storage fridge and other equipment.
The doctors and staff enter the building from the small car park at basement level at the rear of the property. There is a large kitchen/staff room and a library/meetings room at this lower level. The other basement rooms house the Lloyd-George records, the District Nurses' equipment, and the boiler, pumps, tools etc. An area running under the waiting room allows access for maintenance as well as further storage space.
Next door to the surgery is a small terraced house, which was purchased by the practice for accommodating new doctors or registrars. It has since been altered to provide an upstairs flat for registrars or medical students, and downstairs an office for the district nurses and a room for the counsellor to use.
Our branch surgery opened in 1995 approximately four miles away in the village of Foulridge. Unfortunately it was closed in 2007.
