LIFT
Posted on January 12, 2010. Filed under: LIFT, Press/News Releases | Tags: Walk in centre |
NHS Southampton City | News release | 12 January 2010
The brand new Adelaide Health Centre in the west of Southampton, which will provide the people of Southampton with easy access to a range of NHS services in one convenient location, saw its first patient walk through the doors today (Tuesday 12 January 2010).
Southampton Community Healthcare facilitated moving a number of services into the purpose-built health centre in Millbrook including:
- Podiatry
- Cardiac
- Leg Ulcer
- Physiotherapy
- Musculoskeletal
- Community Neurological Rehabilitation
- Health Visiting
- Long-term conditions
8am to 8pm, 7 days a week
The Health Centre also houses the new Adelaide GP Surgery which is open 8am to 8pm, 7 days a week (excluding bank holidays) and offers registered patients GP appointments every day as well as a walk-in service.
The design and building of the Adelaide Health Centre was co-ordinated by South West Hampshire Local Improvement Finance Trust (SWHL) with the aim of delivering better access to extended services from better buildings and closer to home. With this objective in mind, Adelaide Health Centre is conveniently located on the Western Community Hospital campus in Millbrook, with disabled access and patient parking available on site.
The centre’s first patient John Merry arrived promptly at 8.15am this morning to register as a patient with the Adelaide GP Surgery.
“convenient”
He said: ‘The Adelaide Health Centre looks like a very nice building and I love the coffee bar. I’m about a mile and a half away so it’s quite convenient. The extended hours are useful and it’s possible I may make use of them to fit in with hospital appointments.”
Joint Managing Director of Southampton Community Healthcare, Dave Meehan, said: “We are delighted to be able to provide the people of Southampton with easily accessible NHS services with extended opening hours in a convenient location. The Adelaide Health Centre provides staff with a modern, spacious environment in which they can continue to deliver an excellent level of care to patients. Patients can enjoy the new building and its convenient location on the Western Community Hospital Campus. The multiple services under one roof are ideal for patients who require a wide-range of healthcare treatments and there is the added bonus of a GP surgery too.”
Chief Executive of NHS Southampton City, Bob Deans, said: “The new Adelaide Health Centre is an exciting new state-of-the-art building for patients and home to a wide range of NHS services. This one-stop-shop feature will mean that those patients who require a wide-range of healthcare treatments will be able to receive excellent care in one, easy to access location. NHS Southampton City is committed to ensuring that healthcare in Southampton meets the real needs of our people, and the opening of the Adelaide Health Centre is a key development in improving the health of patients and the City as a whole.”
Ends
Notes for Editors:
- Attached with this press release is an image of the Adelaide Health Centre’s first patient with staff from the Adelaide GP Surgery.
- NHS Southampton City is responsible for investing in health and care services to effectively meet the needs of the City’s population. For more information, please go to www.southamptonhealth.nhs.uk NHS Southampton City now has a Twitter page – sign up today for the latest information at www.twitter.com/nhs_southampton
- The Adelaide Health Centre was built under the Government’s Local Improvement Finance Trust (LIFT) scheme by South West Hampshire LIFT Limited, a public private partnership which is owned by NHS Southampton City, NHS Hampshire, Community Health Partnerships and a consortium of companies led by leading health provider Assura. LIFT is a Government vehicle for improving and developing frontline primary and community care facilities. It allows PCTs to invest in new premises in new locations, not merely reproduce existing types of services. It provides patients with modern, integrated health services in high quality, fit for purpose primary care premises. South West Hampshire LIFT Limited is the LIFT Co for the South West Hampshire LIFT area. It is a public private partnership made up of the following constituents: Hampshire and Southampton City PCTs (20%), Community Health Partnerships (Department of Health: 20%) and a private sector consortium (Assura 54%, Geoffrey Osbourne 6%). Please visit the website at: www.swhantslift.co.uk
- An official opening of the Adelaide Health Centre will take place later this year at which point a press release will be sent to the media.
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Posted on December 13, 2009. Filed under: LIFT, News stories |
Express and Star | Sandwell PCT | 13 December 2009
Work on a £6.5 million health centre in the Black Country will begin next month, the Express & Star can reveal.
The new Glebefields Neighbourhood Health Centre in Tipton is set to transform an area once occupied by notorious council flats.
The building in St Marks Road will start going up in January. Work is expected to be complete by mid 2011.
The new development will provide facilities for a number of clinics, from foot health to family planning, as well as dental services, a Citizen’s Advice Bureau, a pharmacy and an optician.
Practice nurses will have the facilities to provide specialised services for patients wanting to stop smoking, patients with diabetes and hypertension amongst many other services. The 33,000 sq ft health hub will replace the existing Glebefields Health Centre on land once occupied by the Glebefields estate’s troubled blocks of flats, Jellicoe and Beatty House.
The new two-storey centre will serve 35,000 patients and include health services such as GP practices from the existing Glebefields Practice and the Swanpool Medical Centre.
The project is a joint initiative between Sandwell Primary Care Trust and developers Sandwell Local Improvement Finance Trust Company, which will build and maintain the centre for the PCT under a long term public private partnership agreement.
Jon Dicken, the PCT’s deputy director of commissioning, said: “This is great news for the people of Tipton and continues the Primary Care Trust’s plans for the development of services and facilities across Sandwell for the benefit of local people.”
Sandwell’s health boss, Councillor Derek Rowley, added: “We have worked closely with the PCT on this development and we are pleased to see this much-needed project coming to fruition on a prime site in Glebefields.
“We are delighted that a centre with a whole range of facilities will now be easily available for the benefit of the people of Tipton.”
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Posted on December 7, 2009. Filed under: LIFT, News stories |
Birmingham Mail | By Steve Bradley | Wolverhampton and Walsall NHS | 7 December 2009
MULTI-million pound plans are on the table to create a state-of-the-art health centre to help people in the Black Country with serious health problems.
The £5 million centre – on the site of a former public house in Heath Town – will bring together existing GP surgeries in the area as well as providing a wide range of 21st century health services for all the family under one roof.
The site of the former Duke of York pub in Wednesfield Road has been purchased from Wolverhampton City Council by Healthcare Improvement Partnership Ltd, an initiative of the public-private Wolverhampton and Walsall NHS Local Improvement Finance Trust company.
Dr Adrian Phillips, director of public health for Wolverhampton, said: “Such a centre is desperately needed in a part of the city where many people are experiencing serious health problems.”
He said figures showed that men in Heath Town had a life expectancy of three-and-a-half years less than the average for the rest of the city – which itself is two years less than the national average, that the area’s mortality rate was 50 per cent higher than the overall average for Wolverhampton and the area’s teenage pregnancy rate was three times the national average.
Dr Phillips added: “The majority of GPs in the area operate from premises that are inappropriate for delivering 21st century healthcare and do not enable practices to develop further services which are available to patients in other parts of the city.
“Bringing together the smaller GP practices into one centre will co-ordinate care in a way that will benefit thousands of local residents and be a fantastic asset for the area.”
Neil Nisbet, director of finance for the PCT, said: “We have been searching for a suitable site in Heath Town for almost three and originally proposed to build the new centre on the site of the nearby Manhattan pub.
“However, after listening to the views of local people we agreed to investigate the use of the Duke of York site and are delighted contracts have now been exchanged and that the design of the building can get underway.”
Subject to planning approval Wolverhampton and Walsall LIFT Company hope to commence construction on the site in 2011 with the new centre due to open in 2012.
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Posted on November 2, 2009. Filed under: LIFT, News stories |
Management in Practice | NHS Doncaster | 2 November 2009
Doncaster’s biggest LIFT Centre received a royal seal of approval on Tuesday 20 October, when HRH The Duke of Kent visited a new £7m health centre in Edlington.
The duke officially opened the landmark Martinwells Centre, which is home to a range of NHS and Doncaster Council services under one roof.
During the tour of the two-storey health centre, which houses two GP practices serving more than 9,000 patients, the duke stopped and talked to a number of people based in the building, including staff from both practices.
Before leaving the building, the Duke of Kent unveiled a commemorative plaque and signed the visitors’ book.
NHS services provided from the building include district nursing, health visiting, school nursing, baby clinic, counselling, orthopaedic assessment, physiotherapy, foot health and sexual health.
The building is the seventh to be opened through the Local Improvement Finance Trust (LIFT) programme across Doncaster.
NHS Doncaster Chairman Roger Greenwood,said: “We are delighted the duke agreed to visit Edlington and see the flagship Martinwells Centre and the excellent services it provides.
“It was a memorable day for the village and for the public- and private- sector partners, who have brought this building off the drawing board and made it a key focal point of local life.”
Pat Higgs, Doncaster Council’s Assistant Director for Neighbourhoods, said: “We are pleased to offer the people of Edlington this state-of-the-art building right in the heart of their community. This facility ensures residents are able to access help and support more conveniently, and staff are located here to deliver these services locally.”
David Liggins, the independent chair of Doncaster Community Solutions, said: “This spectacular development is making a real difference to the quality of life of Edlington people.
“The services provided match the first-class feel of the centre, and we hope this new landmark will be a focus of the revitalisation of this part of Doncaster.”
Community Solutions for Primary Care (CSPC) are a proven private sector community development partner, creating innovative solutions to deliver thriving inclusive and sustainable healthcare to the community.
We have successfully partnered with:
- Primary Care Trust’s
- Local Authorities
- Independent primary care contractors
- Other community stakeholders
In providing a range of developments including:
- Single GP surgeries
- Integrated health resource centres
- Joint service centres
- Community hospitals
- Neighbourhood redevelopments
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Posted on October 26, 2009. Filed under: LIFT, Press/News Releases, Providers |
CHP website | accessed 26 October 2009
Community Health Partnerships (CHP) develops, creates investment in and helps deliver innovative ways to improve health and local authority services.
Its main activity has been to deliver the Local Improvement Finance Trust (LIFT) Initiative which provides clean, modern, purpose-built premises for health and local authority services in England.
So far it has developed public-private partnerships to establish 47 LIFT companies, covering two thirds of England’s population. They have delivered over £1950 million of investment in more than 250 buildings that are either open or under construction. More recently, CHP has developed developing new models of public-private partnership, such as Community Ventures and Social Enterprises, to improve health and social care.
Community Health Partnerships (CHP) – known until autumn 2007 as Partnerships for Health (PfH) – is an independent company, wholly owned by the Department of Health.
Community Health Partnerships is a national organisation, rooted in local delivery of better community health and local authority services.
It has a proven track record of innovative thinking and practical on-time delivery of projects tailored to local need. It fosters continuous improvement as it brings together the financial and organisational skills of the public and private sectors.
CHP’s experience in driving innovation and continuous improvement through the Local Improvement Finance Trust (LIFT) programme has prepared its staff well for broader public-private ventures.
Its goal is to become a recognised centre of excellence in:
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Efficient and effective delivery of capital projects in the health and local authority sectors
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Public-private partnerships across the NHS and local government
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Innovative and creative solutions to procure and develop assets that enhance health and social care provision
Community Health Partnerships offers a number of financial, management and consultancy services including:
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Building public-private partnerships
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Collation and dissemination of best practice in public-private partnerships within the health and social care fields
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Development of LIFT Companies (LIFTCos) – CHP sets up and generates investment in new LIFTCos
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Development of new capital projects within PCTs with existing LIFTCos
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Advice to LIFTCos seeking to work within non-LIFT areas
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Advice to PCTs in non-LIFT areas that want LIFTCos to work on projects
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Benchmarking, for the Department of Health, of LIFT costs
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Reporting improvements developed in the LIFT programme for the cross-departmental Innovation Programme
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Managing and promoting the Department of Health’s Social Enterprise Investment Fund
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Support to Strategic Health Authorities for the allocation of funding for Community Ventures via the Community Hospitals Fund. CHP also works with PCTs on detailed project development of Community Ventures.
- Work on Strategic Estate Development – the re-development of real estate in primary healthcare
LIFT
Local Improvement Finance Trusts (LIFT) have secured a dramatic improvement in primary and social care services and facilities.
Together 47 LIFT companies have generated over £1950m in investment to develop more than 250 new integrated community facilities that are either open or under construction.
These LIFT companies are partnerships of public-private finance and expertise. The partnerships are able to create integrated facilities more quickly, particularly in disadvantaged areas, in ways tailored to local needs, than is normally possible.
The LIFT concept has inspired partnerships, enabling true innovation and exciting community care models to be developed, such as incorporating housing and benefit advice, mental health services and voluntary agencies, within one building.
LIFT is breaking down the organisational silos that have traditionally existed between the primary and secondary healthcare sectors and between the NHS and social care.
LIFT establishes a public-private partnership company – a LIFTCo – which works with local organisations to provide bespoke, tailor-made facilities.
The LIFTCo is formed from three groups:
– local public sector health and care organisations (including PCTs and Local Authorities),
– the selected private sector organisation,
– and Community Health Partnerships.
A Strategic Partnering Board, including all key local health and social care organisations, is established to collate the service requirements of all local providers. The Board plans and then delivers an integrated service strategy.
The LIFT model allows a range of buildings to be procured, from small GP practices to one stop centres to community hospitals and multi-million pound, multiple agency, health and social care centres.
LIFT assets are owned by the public-private partnerships, run by the LIFTCo and leased/rented to service providers. This frees up the public sector to concentrate on service strategy and commissioning. The public sector, however, still has a 40 per cent stake in the ownership of the assets through its shareholding in LIFTCo. So the assets are therefore NOT exclusively owned by the private sector.
Express LIFT
Following the successful establishment of 47 LIFT companies covering more than half of the population of England, Express LIFT has been developed to provide a ‘fast-track’ procurement route. A ‘private sector partner’ is selected from a nationally procured framework of pre-approved partners, without the need for a ‘traditional’ competition based around the design of sample schemes, making it more cost effective.
The difference between Express LIFT and a traditional LIFT procurement
In a ‘traditional’ LIFT procurement, bidders are required to provide fully costed designs for the sample schemes in competition. This is a time consuming and costly process for all bidders and PCTs. In Express LIFT, public sector participants will be required to have an outline SSDP which they will utilise assistance from their LIFT company to complete. This means that the LIFT company can have a far greater influence on what it is that the PCT is trying to achieve through its commissioning and estates strategy. There will be no competitive design element (which will significantly reduce both time and cost) and no obligation to establish a supply chain for delivery and maintenance of defined projects at this stage.
Procurements under the Express LIFT programme will be significantly shorter. PCTs will need to undertake a reasonable amount of preparatory work before commencing a competition and will, of course, have to be mindful of the logistics of obtaining all the requisite Board approvals, however, it ought to be possible for a PCT to run the competition process in less than three months.
National procurement
The Department of Health ran a national procurement, which resulted in the following seven companies being selected to join a national framework as prospective LIFT company partners in March 2009:
Subject to receiving the necessary approval, PCTs can now commence their local call-off procurements. All of the prospective partners have demonstrated that they are able to provide the partnering services in a manner capable of realising and demonstrating value for money.
Framework timeline
Under EU procurement rules, a framework contract can exist for a maximum of four years. Our intention is for the Express LIFT framework to run for two years with the option on the part of the Secretary of State to extend the framework for a further two years.
National competition
The Department of Health ran the national framework procurement on behalf of the Secretary of State for Health with the assistance of Community Health Partnerships and other external advisers.
For further details please see the following – Memorandum of Info for PCTs – April 2009
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Posted on September 25, 2009. Filed under: LIFT, News stories, Providers |
24dash.com | Published by Jocelyn Rowan for Baxi Group | 25 September 2009
Two DACHS mini-CHP units from Baxi SenerTec UK are providing heat and power for the new £5 million Southport Centre for Health and Wellbeing.
The units, each producing 12.5kW of heating and 5.5kW of electricity, are supplemented by a 750-litre buffer vessel and two exhaust flue gas condensers to boost their heating output by 3kW each giving a total output of 31kW of heat and 11kW of electricity.
The system is also coupled with two gas condensing boilers which, in conjunction with the CHP units, feed a condensing plate heat exchanger to produce domestic hot water.
Mark Walker, an associate at consulting engineers Hulley and Kirkwood, said the DACHS units had made a significant contribution to the low carbon strategy of the building.
“We originally considered installing a single larger unit, but this would have been less cost effective and unable to fit into the plant room,” he said. “However, the DACHS units offer high heat and power outputs in a small footprint.
“Space was the major challenge on this project along with noise levels and minimising the carbon intensity of the building. We thermally modelled the building and designed it in such a way that we didn’t need to employ renewables.”
Running
The Dachs packaged mini-CHP unit is designed for continuous running with a design life of around 80,000 running hours. The reliable internal combustion engine drives a low maintenance three-phase electrical generator, and the heat generated by the engine is captured and transferred to the building’s heating system.
“The DACHS has much lower noise levels than larger systems – down to 52 dB(a) at 1m,” added Mr Walker. “This meant we could easily meet local planning restrictions covering noise pollution. These units are particularly good for building up capacities in a modular way and they have proved themselves to be a cost-effective solution to reducing the carbon footprint of small buildings.”
The DACHS engine offers an overall fuel efficiency between 79 and 92 per cent and includes an integrated modem for off-site monitoring and control. Up to 10 units can be installed in a multi-module arrangement.
The 15-month building project was completed on time and to budget under the Local Improvement Finance Trust scheme (LIFT), a vehicle run by Liverpool and Sefton Health Partnership to improve and develop frontline primary and community care facilities in the area. The m&e element of the project was worth around £900,000.
Hulley and Kirkwood was employed by main contractor Galliford Try Construction, which worked in partnership with Liverpool and Sefton Health Partnership. The DACHS mini-CHP installation was carried out by M&E contractor Gradwood Ltd of Stockport.
The NHS LIFT scheme is a Government initiative designed to stimulate investment in local primary and social care facilities. To date 96 new centres have been delivered nationally across England under the initiative.
The Southport Centre provides dental, wound and disease management services and diabetes / cholesterol screening, as well as sexual health and blood testing. It was highly commended in last year’s Liverpool Daily Post Regional Property Awards.
For more information visit: http://www.baxi-senertec.co.uk
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Posted on September 18, 2009. Filed under: LIFT, News stories | Tags: ReSound Health |
The Herald Plymouth | 18 September 2009
PLYMPTON’S ‘Phoenix’ is set to rise from the ashes of last year’s great library blaze.
Plans for a new £5million library and health centre were given the go-ahead by members of the city’s planning committee yesterday.
The new complex, with a library, GP surgery and NHS clinic and health centre, could be built by the end of next year.
The town’s library was made homeless by a huge fire on the morning of August 20 last year (pictured right).
City councillors approved an outline planning application, which included an artist’s impression of the new building that will go up next to Harewood House on Mudge Way, close to the Ridgeway shopping centre.
Cllr Lynda Bowyer (Con, Eggbuckland) welcomed the scheme as ‘Plympton’s Phoenix’ – a reference to the mythical bird that rises from the ashes.
Cllr Nicky Wildy (Lab, Devonport) said: “I really like the idea of buildings with more than one function.
“It’s pleasing when you see something new and good happening. This will be good for the people of Plympton and good for Plymouth.”
The existing clinic at the Ridgeway could be pulled down in the future, planning officer Jeremy Guise told councillors, but that would be part of a separate planning application.
Terri Beer, Conservative councillor for Plympton Erle, who spoke at the planning meeting, welcomed the application.
“We look to the future of our new library, which will probably be the second biggest in the city,” she said.
“A new, bigger and better library is long overdue in Plympton, and along with our partners ReSound Health we strike a balance in having our new facility with that of a new, state- of-the-art health centre.”
She said the old library had been put up 40 years ago as a temporary measure, adding that the old timber building was neglected and in a poor state of repair.
Adrian Griffin, general manager of ReSound Health, which is behind the new development, told The Herald that work could be completed by the end of next year.
Plympton library has been using a temporary home at the old Jobcentre on the Ridgeway.
ReSound Health is a public-private partnership established by NHS Plymouth as its delivery partner for the procurement of new, purpose-built health facilities. It has so far opened three new buildings in Plymouth: Ernesettle GP Surgery, the Local Care Centre at Mount Gould and most recently, Cattedown Primary Care Centre.
The old wooden 35-metre by 25-metre library building on the Ridgeway, which had housed the library since 1964, held around 27,000 books.
The stock was estimated to be worth about £300,000 and was the largest collection of books destroyed in the city since the Blitz.
The proposed building broadly occupies the site of the old library building and its car park.
Parking moves to the sunken garden and ornamental green space immediately to the west of Harewood House.
Mr Guise said that some specimen trees on the site would be lost, and the new development would create one extra parking space.
The developer has agreed to contribute £28,000 to improve the nearby bus stop and pedestrian crossing.
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Posted on September 3, 2009. Filed under: LIFT, News stories, Providers | Tags: Galliford Try |
Contract Journal | By Neil Gerrard | 3 September 2009
Galliford Try has won several health contracts worth a total of £48.6m.
The three deals are:
Contracts for NHS Grampian under Framework Scotland to design and build three new healthcare centres worth a total of £22.3m in Forres, Moray and two Aberdeen based centres in Foresterhill and Whinhill.
Two contracts worth a total of £4.2m to refurbish additional wards at both the Royal Victoria Hospital and at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle, following an existing contract to refurbish The Royal Victoria Infirmary for Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
Three LIFT contracts in Liverpool totalling £22.1m as part of the Liverpool & Sefton LIFT Health Partnership Framework. These are the Garston NHS Treatment Centre, Speke Neighbourhood Health Centre and Oriel Drive Health Centre in Aintree.
Greg Fitzgerald, Chief Executive, said: “Galliford Try has a particularly strong track record in health projects where public expenditure continues. These contract awards reinforce our robust market position in this sector.”
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Posted on August 13, 2009. Filed under: LIFT, News stories, Providers | Tags: Eric Wright Group, PFI |
Lancashire Telegraph | Catherine Pye | NHS Blackburn with Darwen | 13 August 2009
CONSTRUCTION work is set to start on Blackburn’s new health centre after £21million funding was arranged.
Building work will commence on the site near Alma Street off Barbara Castle Way in November.
The new facility, which is expected to be completed in September 2011, will replace the Montague Health Centre.
Funding has been found through private finance.
The East Lancashire Building Partnership/Eric Wright Group will build the centre and lease it back to NHS Blackburn with Darwen until all the repayments are made.
The so-called Local Improvement Finance Trust agreement is sim-ilar to the controversial Private Finance Initiative which saw the construction of the Royal Black-burn Hospital extension.
The hospital trust will repay £680million over 35 years for the £113million extension due to the interest rates. Supporters say new facilities would not be built without private finance schemes, but critics believe they are too expensive.
NHS Blackburn said it could not at this stage reveal what repay-ments or interest rates would be for the new health centre.
Services in the new health centre include audiology, speech and language, an artific-ial eye clinic, ortho-ptics, podiatry, a pharmacy,training areas and a cafe.
There will also be a 60-space car park with accessible park-ing bays. NHS Blackburn with Darwen chief executive Judith Griffin said: “We are absolutely thrilled that build-ing work can now begin on the new health facility planned for the centre of Blackburn.
“Services now based at Montague Health Centre will transfer to the new centre. In addition to transferring and expanding existing services a number of new services will be developed including a Young Persons Resource Centre.
“Working with our partners including the borough council I believe this exciting development will underpin a step change in the services we are able to provide.”
“This is a terrific investment in the regeneration of the town centre that will help us to continue to improve health and wellbeing in Blackburn with Darwen.”
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Posted on August 12, 2009. Filed under: Journals, LIFT |
Health Service Journal | 12 August 2009
Researchers have claimed NHS primary care trusts could save thousands of pounds if they managed partnerships with the private sector better.
According to a study funded by the NHS service delivery and organisation programme and carried out by York Management School, local improvement finance trust (LIFT) schemes currently offer poor financial returns, despite being part of a £1.5bn mechanism to improve primary careservices in partnership with the private sector.
However, the research said LIFT schemes have the potential to offer a number of advantages, including in the construction and management of new facilities, if the partnerships are given sufficient guidance.
Professor Steven Toms, head of the York Management School, said: “Working with private sector providers offers potential benefits but as more of these partnerships are formed it will be increasingly important for the costs of such activities to be evaluated and controlled.”
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Posted on July 31, 2009. Filed under: LIFT, Press/News Releases |
NHS Lambeth | Building for the future | accessed 31 July 2009
Akerman Road Health Centre rapid Health and Wellbeing Impact Assessment
As part of the planning work for the new Akerman road health centre, we commissioned Inukshuk consultants to carry out a rapid Health and Wellbeing Impact Assessment in Coldharbour ward in 2009.
The purpose was:
- To identify access issues for Coldharbour residents and Iveagh House patients when the Practice moves to the new facility.
- To make recommendations to Akerman Project Board re the issues raised.
The consultants presented their report and its recommendations to the Akerman road Project Board in July. A summary of the report’s findings is available here.
Green light for Akerman Road
We’re delighted to announce that Lambeth Council has granted planning permission for the construction of our new £13m health centre at the corner of Akerman Road and Patmos Road in north Brixton.
Replacing our current Myatts Field health centre, the Akerman Road centre will complement Lambeth Council’s regeneration of the Myatts Field area. When it opens in autumn 2011, it will help us to improve healthcare services and reduce health inequalities in some of most deprived areas of the borough.
Akerman Road will will sit at the heart of a network of local services, all aimed at improving the quality of services for the people of north Brixton. It will provide a top-quality home to:
- Three GP practices: Dr Berlyn and Partners (Myatts Fields practice), Dr Mukadam (Foxley Square practice) who are moving from the Myatts Fields Health Centre and Dr Konzon and Partners (Iveagh House practice) who are currently in Loughborough Road.
- Midwifery and community dental services run by King’s College Hospital.
- Community healthcare services, including nursing and home visiting, run by Lambeth Community Health.
- Services for adult and children run by Lambeth Council.
- Bookable space for local community use.
We’ve developed our plans for the centre as part of our overall strategy to construct a number of neighbourhood centres across the borough. The first of these centres opened in December 2007 at Gracefield Gardens in Streatham, and we have plans to develop similar centres in Norwood and at Crowndale.
We will work in partnership with Building Better Health to construct Akerman Road under the nationwide NHS LIFT programme (Local Improvement Finance Trust) by which the public and private sectors work together to provide better quality health and social care premises.
NHS Lambeth chair Caroline Hewitt said: “We’ve worked closely with the local community to ensure that our plans address their needs. We’re delighted that the council’s planners have given us the green light to proceed.”
The Architects’ Journal | By Emma Bass | 30 July 2009
First Look: NHS Lambeth’s £13 million Akerman Road Health Centre
Akerman Road Health Centre will provide a range of services including three GP surgeries, community dentistry, children’s services, podiatry, midwifery, primary care and community health services and facilities. The centre will also be the base for Lambeth Community Services nursing teams.
NHS LIFT developer Building Better Health was granted planning permission on their second attempt. Last week they were also given the green light in their healthcare-led generation of the New Cross Gate development.
Work is anticipated to begin on Akerman Road Health Centre in early 2010.
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Posted on July 30, 2009. Filed under: Journals, LIFT |
Health Service Journal | BY SALLY GAINSBURY | 30 July 2009
The government-owned company established to promote private investment in primary care is in “disarray”, according to private sector contractors. 
Community Health Partnerships, owned by the Department of Health, was set up to promote the local improvementfinance trust model to fund capital development in primary care.
The criticism comes after a string of changes to the executive leadership at the company. Since January, Caroline Rassell has joined CHP as chief operating officer, overseeing the finance department, and director of finance and investment Anthony Bicknell has departed. This month, director of operations George Farley also left.
Private contractors have told HSJ the turnover of staff has left the company in “disarray”. They say there have been delays in approving projects and responses to significant policy developments.
Last year’s Pre Budget Report heralded an expanded role for LIFT when it suggested entire PCT estates could be transferred to LIFT companies, but CHP has yet to issue guidance on how it might work in practice.
Dissatisfaction about CHP’s role comes as the private contractors’ lobby group – the LIFT Council – has expanded its activities.
It will now take it upon itself to develop guidance on best practice and to promote LIFT as an investment vehicle.
LIFT Council chair Chris Whitehouse would not comment on whether this reflected industry dissatisfaction with CHP but said: “We cannot sit back and wait for CHP or the DH or anyone else to get out and champion LIFT. We have to do it ourselves.”
But a CHP insider said the source of private sector discontent was a recent heightened stringency on the part of CHP, which was attempting to drive harder deals with the private sector. This had inevitably slowed deals.
“[The private sector is] being called to account more than in the past. That’s not CHP in disarray, but being more on top of things,” the insider said.
CHP chief executive Sue O’Connell said the organisation had very deliberately refocused its activities on supporting PCTs.
“A rethink has also been vital in the current economic climate, when it is more important than ever to achieve best value from the public sector in infrastructure development and estate management.”
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Posted on July 29, 2009. Filed under: LIFT, News stories |
Oldham PCT | News | 16 July 2009
Two multi-million pound health developments are one step nearer to completion.
Plans for new health centres in Werneth and the Shaw and Crompton area of Oldham have now been submitted to Oldham Council for approval.
It is expected that a decision will be reached in early September, following a planning committee hearing.
Subject to successful planning approval, construction is expected to begin in early 2010 and be completed in Spring 2011.
Shauna Dixon, director of clinical leadership at NHS Oldham, the primary care trust responsible for local NHS services, said: “These developments are the latest in a network across Oldham to ensure people have access to the high quality health and well-being services they deserve.
“Not only are we looking at modernising and improving health centres, but also the services that are provided within them.”
Neil Charlesworth, general manager of Community 1st Oldham, said: “We are very excited to be at the stage where the local community can see the plans for what will be two fantastic new community facilities for the Shaw and Crompton and Werneth areas of Oldham.
“These, along with several other developments across the borough are really moving forward and this is an exciting time for all involved. We are seeing our plans for improved community facilities becoming a reality.”
The developments are being delivered as part of Oldham’s Local Improvement Finance Trust (LIFT) programme. NHS Oldham is one of the leading organisations of Community 1st Oldham, which is responsible for the LIFT programme.
There are already two new healthcare developments that have been built as part of LIFT, in the Moorside and Glodwick areas of Oldham. Later this year, the programme’s flagship development, the Oldham Integrated Care Centre, will open in the town centre next to the main bus station and will provide a wide range of services all under one roof.
The new Chadderton Well-being Centre, led by Oldham Council, is due to open at the end of October. This will replace the old swimming baths, leisure centre and library.
Royton’s Health and Well-being Centre is well underway and is due to open in winter 2010. This will replace the current Royton Health Centre.
Future developments include Fitton Hill and the Saddleworth area.
The first three schemes to be developed include the Town Centre, Glodwick and Moorside and plans are currently being drawn up for developments at Werneth, Crompton and Royton. Over the course of 20 years, the total programme could potentially bring in £100 million.
Better premises will help us to continue to improve our services to the people of Oldham, bringing high quality health and social care close to people’s homes and into the hearts of communities, helping us to recruit the very best health professionals, and contributing to the regeneration of some of Oldham’s neighbourhoods.
The different types of centres anticipated include:
- Integrated Care Centres in the Town Centre, Werneth, North Chadderton and South Chadderton;
- Primary care centres in Glodwick, Crompton and Royton;
- Medical centres in Moorside and Werneth, plus a development in Springhead.
The Integrated Care Centres will link with smaller buildings housing GPs and other health professionals.
About
The Department of Health, the local healthcare community and the private sector have joined forces to establish a joint venture company: Community 1st Oldham Limited.
Oldham’s 25 year LIFT programme brings together NHS Oldham, Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council, North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust and a private sector partner to develop and deliver state of the art community facilities closer to where people live and facilitate greater joined up service delivery.
The Department of Health and the local NHS retain a significant shareholding in the LIFT partnership to ensure transparency and value for money at all stages. Any benefits arising from this arrangement can also be reinvested in the local healthcare economy.
Completed schemes
- Glodwick Primary Care Centre
- Moorside Medical Centre
Ongoing schemes
- Chadderton Health & Well Being Centre
- Royton Health and Well-being Centre
- Town Centre, Integrated Care Centre (Oldham)
Future schemes
- Crompton Primary Care
- Fitton Hill Neighbourhood Centre, Fitton Hill & Hathershaw
- Saddleworth area
- Werneth area
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Posted on July 24, 2009. Filed under: LIFT, Press/News Releases, Providers | Tags: Ashley House |
Berkshire East PCT | Press Releases | 24 July 2009
NHS Berkshire East has identified the company it wants to work with to develop detailed plans for the Bracknell ‘HealthSpace’.
Demands for a new health facility in the centre of Bracknell offering an extended range of health services was one of the key themes to emerge from the local public consultation process known as Right Care, Right Place which finished last year.
The HealthSpace is planned for Market Street and will form a key part of the town centre regeneration.
The Ashley House / G4S Integrated Services consortium was selected by the Board of NHS Berkshire East at its meeting in public on 23 April. Ashley House will take on the status of ‘preferred partner’ with facilities and services to be developed by G4S Integrated Services. Work will now focus on developing detailed plans for the building.
The decision follows extensive evaluation by a panel which included a local GP, councillor and patient representative. They looked in detail at four shortlisted proposals after 30 expressions of interest were received.
The HealthSpace will bring a wide range of services closer to home for many people. These will include urgent care, GP services, physiotherapy, specialist appointments with visiting hospital consultants and a whole range of scans and other diagnostic tests.
NHS Berkshire East Chairman Sally Kemp said: “This is a real milestone in our plans to offer an extended range of health services from 21st century facilities in the heart of Bracknell.”
Councillor Dale Birch, Executive Member for Adult Services, Health and Housing for Bracknell Forest Council, who took part in the evaluation process, said: “This is a very positive step forward for the residents of Bracknell Forest and I welcome the Board’s decision. I think they have listened very carefully to residents and key stakeholders.
“The Council and residents have long been vocal in their support for our own healthspace in the town centre with a range of locally relevant services including urgent care and GP services so that people won’t have to travel long distances for care.”
– ENDS –
Further information:
Martin Leaver, Communications, NHS Berkshire East Tel. 01235 553091 / 07966 174 183
Peter Juster, Ashley House Tel. 01628 600354
Notes to editors:
Ashley House plc developed its first primary care project in 1991 and is now a national organisation and a recognised innovator in development and premises solutions with over 200 completed projects. Ashley House has created, in close consultation with its clients, a comprehensive range of funding, design and construction services relevant to today’s ever changing healthcare environment.
As well as being the development arm for 7 NHS Local Improvement Fund Trust (LIFT) companies, Ashley House plc (as part of Odyssey Healthcare) is also on the framework for the new Express LIFT procurement process. This has been achieved by incorporating modern building techniques with innovative and flexible designs and producing facilities that are purpose built to meet today’s needs whilst retaining flexibility for adaptation in the future.
William Wells (Chairman) said:
‘This is a very important and exciting project both for NHS Berkshire East in delivering their Right Care, Right Place agenda and as a catalyst for the regeneration programme of Bracknell town centre.
‘We are grateful and delighted to have been selected and look forward to working with NHS Berkshire East and various user groups in achieving a flagship building and a beacon for health and social care provision.’
G4S Integrated Services is a division of G4S, UK and Ireland and is an international leader in providing critical primary and support services for both the public sector and corporate organisations on three continents.
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Posted on June 10, 2009. Filed under: GP-led health centres, ISTC, LIFT, Reports/papers, Social enterprise | Tags: Out-of-hours, PBC, Provider-commissioner |
NHS Support Federation
Executive summary
• The government is carrying out the ‘patchwork privatisation’ of the NHS. For the first time, this report presents a comprehensive picture of the many kinds of privatisation occurring in the health service. It provides indisputable evidence that a process of privatisation is in train.
• This is happening on such a scale and in so coordinated a way as to make it a unique phenomenon – the ‘patchwork privatisation’ of a major public concern.
• Unlike the Thatcher privatisations of the 1980s, the entire NHS is not being put up for auction – but historically this is only one manifestation of privatisation. The deregulation of state monopolies, the outsourcing of state responsibilities and the cessation of services are the forms of privatisation we see in the NHS today.
• The government is transforming the NHS from a comprehensive, equitable provider of healthcare into a tax-funded insurer, paying for care provided by others. What emerges will still be called the NHS, but it will take the form of a kite-mark attached to selected services.
• The government argues that while the health service remains free at the point of need, funded from taxation, it is still public. However, access does not determine whether a service is public. ITV is free for all to watch, but is clearly different from the BBC. Neither does public funding automatically translate into public service status. There are examples of private ventures that are publicly funded.
• The ‘patchwork privatisation’ of the NHS is deeply worrying because privatised healthcare tends to cost more; accountability suffers; the fog of ‘commercial confidentiality’ makes scrutinising public spending impossible; the profit motive encourages ‘cherry-picking’ of the lucrative work, ultimately leading to NHS services being cut.
• The report presents an anatomy of NHS privatisation:
Creating a market
o ‘Patchwork privatisation’ is only possible because of the creation of a market. This process began with the purchaser/provider split introduced by the Conservatives, but has been greatly accelerated under Labour with the introduction of ‘choose and book’ and a new financial system – ‘payment by results’. The latter has been rolled out faster and further than in any comparable country, creating powerful incentives that will have unpredictable consequences.
Privatisation in primary care
o Privatising GP services – Huge multinational corporations are taking over GP surgeries. This process will have profound implications. There are already examples of continuity of care suffering where companies are unable to retain doctors.
o Privatising the commissioning function of Primary Care Trusts – Takes privatisation into the heart of the NHS by giving the private sector a role in the decisions on what care patients can receive, determining to some extent how the NHS budget should be spent.
o Practice-based commissioning – Transfers the buying power for purchasing many treatments from a public body with responsibility for the whole local population to practices accountable only for their registered patients. Increasingly these will be run by corporations that could dominate the market in any region and gain huge power over what kind of care patients receive and who provides it.
o Outsourcing PCT care – The government wishes to see PCTs stop providing health care directly, instead contracting the private sector and social enterprises to provide services. This will increase administration costs and reduce flexibility.
o Unbundling of primary care services – Primary care services are being broken up into saleable commodities in a process known as unbundling. The most high profile instance is out-of-hours GP care, where the private sector has performed poorly.
Privatisation in secondary care
o Independent Sector Treatment Centres (ISTCs) – ISTCs (private sector clinics usually specialising in straightforward procedures like cataract surgery) have not provided value for money, have made only a very modest contribution to cutting waiting lists and in many areas have seriously destabilised NHS hospitals causing service closures.
o Privately run NHS hospitals – The fullest extension of the ISTC policy is the handing over of an entire hospital to the private sector as has happened at the Lymington New Forest Hospital. This is the first time a whole NHS hospital, including urgent care, is to be run by a private company, meaning local patients will have little choice but to use the private facility.
o Off-shoring medical secretaries – NHS trusts are cutting trained medical secretaries in favour of cheaper services abroad, raising fears for safety.
o Private ambulance services – Non-emergency ambulance services are being put out to tender. There are examples of serious problems where contracts have been awarded to the private sector.
Privatisation in diagnostics
o ICATS and CATS – Diagnostic and treatment centres that raise the prospect of conflicts of interest because of their ability to refer patients on for further care. One company, Netcare UK, has contracts for an ICATS and an ISTC in Manchester meaning it could refer patients to its own facilities.
o Privatisation of pathology services – The government has signed large contracts with private sector companies for pathology and diagnostic tests, despite warnings of the dangers involved in fragmenting pathology services through privatisation
Privatisation of NHS facilities
o PFI – A vastly expensive way of building hospitals that is taking money away from frontline care. PFI has a direct effect on patient services, as the fixed costs are borne by the local NHS trust and have first call on the available money.
o LIFT – Often referred to as the primary care version of PFI, LIFT projects are costing up to eight times more than traditional ways of building.
o Subsidising private sector infrastructure – Department of Health guidance advises that the NHS could pay a “supplement… to cover the set-up or development costs faced by a new provider,” to “reduce the capital investment required” – i.e., supply the buildings.
Privatisation in NHS supplies
o Privatisation of NHS Logistics – The government outsourced NHS supplies to delivery firm DHL and its sub-contractor Novation, which will control over £4 billion of NHS money. Novation is being investigated in the US over bribery and defrauding American public health schemes.
o Privatisation of oxygen supplies – The service supplying oxygen to patients with breathing difficulties was privatised in February 2006, resulting in chaos. One woman, Alice Broderick, died while waiting for an emergency delivery of oxygen that took nine hours to arrive.
For full report click here
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Posted on June 8, 2009. Filed under: LIFT, Press/News Releases | Tags: Walk in centre |
Department of Health | Friday, 13 March 2009
The list of successful bidders for the Express LIFT (Local Improvement Finance Trust) framework, which will reduce the time and cost in appointing LIFT partners for Primary Care Trusts and local authorities, has been published today by the Department of Health.
Currently around half of PCTs in England are using LIFT to update facilities and build new, modern GP surgeries, health centres and walk-in centres. LIFT enables PCTs and local authorities to develop new capital schemes faster than traditional procurement methods and provides a framework for long-term partnership between the public sector and private sector developers.
Express LIFT accelerates this process even further, offering PCTs and local authorities who have not yet conducted their own procurement, the opportunity to select a pre-approved LIFT partner more quickly and cost effectively from the list. Local procurements from the Express LIFT framework can be completed within three or four months as opposed to two years as is currently the case.
The successful framework partners have been selected on their demonstrated ability to provide expert advice and services required of a successful LIFT Company whilst providing good value for money for the taxpayer. The seven approved LIFT partners are:
* Community Solutions for Primary Care
* Express LIFT Investments Limited
* Equity Solutions
* Eric Wright Group
* Fulcrum Infrastructure Group
* Odyssey Healthcare
* Prime Plc
For the first time ever in the LIFT process neither the bidder nor the PCT will need to engage in expensive design work prior to the establishment of a LIFT company. The list of framework partners reduces the cost of wasted bids, and will not only benefit the private sector, but ultimately the taxpayer. This new process allows both PCTs and the LIFT partners to focus on delivering through long-term strategic partnerships, some of which can last for twenty years.
Health Minister, Ben Bradshaw said:
“LIFT has proved highly successful in allowing Trusts to upgrade inadequate or ageing facilities around the country.
“The successful companies approved on the Express LIFT framework today will go one step further in cutting down on the time and cost of the procurement process and help the scheme expand rapidly. It will enable more Primary Care Trusts and local authorities to take advantage of its benefits – faster builds, improved working conditions for staff, better care environments for patients, and better overall facilities available for the local community.”
Dr Ian Mitchell, a GP and Chair of NHS Cumbria’s professional executive committee said:
“As Cumbria expects to be one of the first PCTs to use the new framework, this announcement is an important milestone and one that brings us a step closer to developing 21st Century healthcare facilities for the people of Cumbria.
“Cumbria’s plans to revitalise our community hospitals are developing quickly, and the pre-approved Express LIFT partners will help us accelerate the process even further in a more cost effective way. By working with a LIFT Company to create purpose-built facilities, where healthcare is often on the same site as pharmacies and social care services, we can provide modern and much improved services, closer to where people live. This will bring benefits to both patients and professionals”.
Providing the best potential LIFT partners with the opportunity to expand through their appointment to the framework will make the market stronger and deliver improved benefits to the NHS.
Notes to Editors:
1. The LIFT programme was established in 2001. Under the initiative, a series of long-term public/private partnerships have been set up between Primary Care Trusts, local authorities and the private sector to provide modern, purpose-built facilities. Private sector partners benefit from long-term relationships and a steady flow of work.
2. All interested bidders were invited to submit a Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (“PQQ”) setting out details of their relevant experience and qualifications to take part on the framework. 28 completed PQQs were received and, following evaluation, 14 bidders were invited to complete full tenders.
3. Selection was based on a robust evaluation process carried out by two teams, one from the Department and the other from Community Health Partnerships, whose scores were moderated to come up with an agreed score for each bid.
4. It is proposed that the framework will run for two years with an option for the Department to extend for a further two years depending on the performance of the framework partners. This will allow for a re-tender, meaning new, companies can be added.
5. There are currently 48 LIFT Companies (47 of which have reached financial close) covering around half of England’s population which have delivered over £1,500 million worth of primary care facilities.
6. For more information contact the Department of Health Press Office on: 0207 210 5221.
COI ref 171715P
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Posted on June 8, 2009. Filed under: LIFT, News stories | Tags: Care UK, Out-of-hours, Super surgery, Walk in centre |
Cross Gates Today | Published Date: 04 February 2009 | Last Updated: 03 March 2009 7:34 AM
A long-awaited super surgery in east Leeds has finally opened, with bosses vowing to make it a success.
The doors to the new 365-days a year Shakespeare Medical Practice in Burmantofts opened on Monday, March 2, with the first patient being welcomed at 9am.
The development of the medical multiplex in Cromwell Mount – on the site of the former Burmantofts Health Centre – has seen much drama with months of discussions both private and public about its viability and its impact on existing surgeries.
However healthcare chiefs insist it will offer a convenient and flexible healthcare service in an area where need is high.
Burmantofts is one of the most deprived areas of the city and bosses say the location of the walk-in surgery fits well with NHS Leeds’ strategy for addressing health inequalities in the city and improving access for patients.
Dr Damian Riley, Director of Primary Care for NHS Leeds said: “Having the flexibility to provide GP appointments and a walk-in service in one centre is really good news for people in Leeds.
“It means that those who work in the city but are registered with a GP elsewhere can see a doctor or nurse conveniently, and near to their place of work.
“It also gives greater access to GP services out of normal hours for local people and the flexibility to make doctors’ appointments early in the morning or later in the evening.”
The new centre offers an extended walk-in surgery which will provide all the traditional GP services for registered patients.
But vitally, people not registered with the practice will also be able to walk in off the street and get treatment for anything from sprains, coughs and headaches to burns, bites and rashes.
The practice, run by Care UK Clinical Services Limited, will be open from 8am to 8pm every day.
Plans for the new super surgery have not been without controversy and concern.
Last month, councillors on the city’s healthcare scrutiny panel vowed
to monitor it and demanded an update a month after its opening to see how the service is working.
And last year, 100 Leeds GPs wrote to the Yorkshire Evening Post, saying the new super surgeries formula could “destabilise” existing practices.
Burmantofts is the third walk-in health centre in Leeds, joining the existing services at The Light and Leeds General Infirmary.
Mark Hunt, managing director of Care UK Primary Care, said: “We are delighted to be opening a new Care UK health centre at Burmantofts. We are looking forward to providing a high standard of health and care to local people, which will be easy to access and tailored to their needs.”
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Posted on June 8, 2009. Filed under: LIFT, News stories | Tags: Super surgery |
Liverpool Echo | By Liza Williams | 1 April 2009
A £7m Merseyside “super surgery” is expected to be approved next week.
The new state of the art neighbourhood health centre – which incorporates several GP surgeries with services like dentistry and chiropody – is planned between North Parade and South Parade in Speke.
Plans, which are recommended for approval by council officers, include a 20m high wind turbine and three buildings, linked together with glass to form a ‘H’ shape.
Two objections have been received to the blueprint, which will go to Liverpool council’s planning committee on Tuesday.
The surgery is part of a £100m city- wide reorganisation of community healthcare, with around 25 neighbourhood centres planned.
Derek Campbell, chief executive of Liverpool PCT, said: “Securing planning permission will ensure we are a step closer to delivering even better services for Speke residents, in a state-of-the art health facility.
“The plans form part of Liverpool PCT’s wider plans for a New Health Service for Liverpool, which will see significant investment to enable enhanced services within communities as well as better facilities and equipment for patients.”
Super surgeries have proved controversial because many claim they will erode the traditional relationship between patient and GP.
The Speke surgery will open 8am-8pm Monday to Friday and 8am-6pm on Saturday.
It will offer diagnostic testing, chiropody, dental and sexual health services and a pharmacy, amongst other things.
The scheme aims to incorporate renewable energy sources through solar panels, ground source heat pumps and the wind turbine, which a local resident has objected to for noise and visual reasons.
Merseyside Cycling Campaign has objected because of an issue surrounding cycle stands.
A council report reads: “The proposed development would improve the delivery of health services in the city and would be in accordance with relevant planning policies and recommends that planning permission be granted.”
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Posted on June 8, 2009. Filed under: LIFT, News stories | Tags: Assura, Out-of-hours, Super surgery |
Basingstoke Gazette | NHS Hampshire | Wednesday 27th May 2009
A SUPER-SURGERY offering GP and dental service to unregistered patients 365 days a year is set to open in Basingstoke.
The new Hampshire Health Care Centre in the grounds of Basingstoke hospital, scheduled to open this autumn, is being commissioned to increase out-of-hours access and it will open from 8am to 8pm seven days a week.
Health chiefs also hope to relieve pressure from the accident and emergency department by treating minor illnesses and injuries.
Hampshire Health – a team of 13 North Hampshire GP practices – has joined with a private healthcare firm Assura and Basingstoke dentist Dr Anushika Sharma to run the new centre.
Dr Christian Chilcott, a board member of Hampshire Health and partner from Oakley and Overton Surgery, said the doctors came together to make the bid so the new surgery could be run by locally based GPs.
He said: “This way we could ensure continuity of care for our patients and that their interests are put first.”
The value of the contract they will sign with NHS Hampshire was not disclosed because of “commercial confidentiality”.
Helen Clanchy, director of primary care for NHS Hampshire, said: “We are very pleased to announce plans for these services with Hampshire Health and Dr Sharma, who have each shown that they will provide a high quality service.”
Patients will still be able to see their regular GP and dentist even if they use the new centre.
It will also house a raft of other services, including vaccinations and immunisations, contraceptive services, cervical screening, maternity medical services, minor surgery and stop smoking services.
Under reforms led by health minister Lord Ara Darzi, each NHS primary healthcare trust (PCT) has to have one super-surgery.
NHS Hampshire, the commissioning branch of Hampshire PCT, chose Basingstoke because of the number of people commuting to and from the town.
It was thought that they would benefit most from a service open 12 hours a day, seven days a week, although the service is open to anyone.
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Posted on June 8, 2009. Filed under: GP-led health centres, LIFT, Press/News Releases, Providers | Tags: Fleet Healthcare, Super surgery, Walk in centre |
Gravensham Borough Council | West Kent PCT | 19 January 2009
People living in Gravesham are set to benefit from a brand new state-of-the-art super surgery, following an agreement at Gravesham Borough Council’s Cabinet meeting on Monday 12 January.
The council has agreed ‘in principle’ the sale of land in Vale Road, Northfleet, which, if a planning application is approved, will house an Equitable Access Centre, Primary Care Centre and Pharmacy.
If planning permission is granted, the centre could open in June and offer GP services including a walk-in service from 8am-8pm, seven days a week.
The centre will allow thousands more people in Gravesham to gain easier access to medical facilities during the evening and at weekends thanks to the extended surgery times, the sites accessible road and public transport links.
Leader of Gravesham Borough Council Councillor Mike Snelling said: “I see this as a very exciting project which has the potential to benefit many families in the borough.”
NHS West Kent has agreed a five-year deal with Fleet Healthcare Ltd – which is run partly by local GPs –to provide and run the new health centre to enhance patient services.
This follows a government announcement which stated it planned to invest £250m into suporting Primary Care Trusts country-wide to create at least one new GP-led health centre in each PCT area.
As the Vale Road site is currently open space, notices advertising the development are being put up and a public consultation will take place.
A planning application for Vale Road has not yet been submitted.
Ends
Notes to editor:
If planning is agreed, developers hope to split the build into two phases, with phase one being the Equitable Access Centre and the second phase being the Primary Care Centre and Pharmacy.
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