The NHS is set to build a temporary home for a South London GP to avoid leaving thousands of patients without a doctor.

Waterloo Health Centre could be rehoused for up to a year and half in a pop-up building on the site of the former Waterloo Library on Lower Marsh, according to plans submitted to Lambeth Council.

The surgery, which has over 14,000 patients across Lambeth and Southwark, has been looking for a new base since March 2022 when its landlord told the practice it would have to leave its current home at 5 Lower Marsh.

The medical centre had been planning to move into another building on the street, currently used by Christian Aid. But it is understood the owners of the property pulled out of the deal at the last minute, leaving the surgery's future up in the air. 

Artist\'s impression of how Waterloo Health Centre\'s pop-up surgery on Lower Marsh could look. CREDIT: Lambeth Council

The new planned temporary home at 114-118 Lower Marsh would give the surgery 18 months of breathing space while it continues its search for a permanent home in the area.

Set over two floors, the building would include two treatment rooms, eight consultation rooms and three remote consultation rooms, as well as a reception, admin area and waiting room.  

The outside of the modular building would be decorated with health-themed objects in red and blue such as hearts, teeth and apples.

Planning documents say the proposed design would "make the building welcoming, interesting and hopefully an attractive addition to the street scene for the length of its limited occupation of the vacant site."

The surgery can't stay at 114-118 Lower Marsh permanently because the plot already has planning permission in place for five-storey office development, issued in June 2018.  

Waterloo and Southbank councillors, Sarina Da Silva and Ibrahim Dogus, said they "welcomed" the plans and remained "committed" to helping the surgery find a permanent home. 

In a joint statement, they said: "We fully support Waterloo Health Centre and its 14,000 patients, the majority of whom are our residents and include ourselves. We know how vital the practice is to our community and the excellent care it provides, so a temporary premises in close proximity, that will offer high-grade facilities, is welcomed.

"We are committed to continuing our support for the practice to find a permanent new home and for our residents to continue to benefit from the services Waterloo Health Centre provides."

Waterloo Health Centre said it had been in talks with its landlord's agent about staying in its current home at 5 Lower Marsh for another 10 years, before it was suddenly given notice to leave in 2022. 

In a statement published on April 25, the surgery said: "We are currently being supported by the South East London Integrated Care Board in support in our estate's issues. Together we are working on a long-term solution so we can continue providing a general practice service for the Waterloo area into the future.

"It is likely that our permanent solution will not be ready for a few years and so as a fallback option, we are also developing a temporary solution local to our current site. This modular accommodation, when ready, will be fully equipped to help us provide our clinical services to our patients."