WORK on a £4.1million extension to a community GP practice gets under way next month.

The planned expansion and refurbishment of Harbours Medical Practice, Cockenzie, will see the centre almost double in size.

It will increase the number of consulting rooms from five to 11, with additional treatment rooms added and a makeover for the original building which opened in 1980.

Iain Gorman, East Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership operations manager, said the practice would continue to operate with “minimal disruption” while the building work was carried out.

He said: “I know this is something that patients have been looking forward to for some time and it’s great to see things getting under way. 

“The practice will continue looking after patients throughout the refurbishment and we hope the work will cause minimal disruption to patients and neighbours.

“I am really looking forward to seeing the new-look Harbours Medical Practice.

“This development is very much in line with our continuing drive to provide people with access to a wide range of primary care services locally, bringing care closer to home and helping to relieve the pressure on our services.”

Jane Johnston, practice manager at Harbours Medical Practice, added: “This is a really exciting step and everyone at Harbours is looking forward to having premises which are fit for purpose.”