Primary care estate investment continues

The NHS expects to have 625 new health centres housing services appropriate to local need open by the end of the year, up 125 from 500 at the start of 2005. By 2008, the total will stand at 750. Rather than being like for like replacements, the purpose built centres will have a wider range of specialist personnel and services under one roof, such as community nurses, district nurses, midwifery, dentistry, physiotherapy, pharmacy, optometry and podiatry, as well as GPs.

Health Minister Lord Warner has reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to building, rebuilding and refurbishing at least 50 community hospitals.

Speaking at the recent NHS Confederation conference, he said: “We are witnessing huge investment in the primary care estate. The time is now right to move care closer to home and make care more accessible and responsive to patients. We expect to see an additional 125 primary care centres built by the end of this year, a rate of expansion that I am told is quicker than Tesco.”

GP’s premises, health centres and polyclinics, as well as community hospitals will continue to benefit from huge investment – some £812 million in private sector and £210 million public sector funding has already been injected through NHS LIFT alone. There are 42 NHS LIFT schemes established with another eight in procurement. This has, to date, delivered 68 new buildings open to patients with another building a week opening during 2006.