DH - Alan Johnson opens first GP health centre - 28 Nov 08

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New centre in Bradford will see patients 8am-8pm, seven days a week
The first fully operational new GP health centre in England was officially opened in Bradford today by Health Secretary Alan Johnson. The Hillside Bridge Health Care Centre is one of 152 new GP health centres opening across England that will see patients from 8am to 8pm, seven days a week, as part of a Government programme to increase access to family doctor services.

Any member of the public will be able to use the additional services provided by these health centres, while staying registered with their local family doctor. The centres will provide a minimum of 2.6 million extra GP appointments a year. Patients can also choose to register with the health centre if they wish to do so and will receive the same high quality services they would receive at any GP practice. As well as increasing access to GP services the health centres will provide patients with greater choice, have a strong focus on promoting health and on reducing health inequalities, particularly for hard-to-reach groups.

Secretary of State for Health, Alan Johnson, said:

• "Patients leading busy lives tell us that access to GP services is a real issue for them, and they want to be able to see a doctor at times that are convenient for them whether it is in the evenings, at weekends or when they are away from home.
• "Health centres like this one and others opening around the country are an addition to and complement existing GP services, providing more capacity in primary care and offering patients greater choice and flexibility - they will be open from 8am until 8pm, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Some centres will also offer a greater range of services, specific to local needs, like this one in Bradford that has developed its services following consultation with local people and GPs.
• "People can use these centres and stay registered with their own GP; they can pre book appointments or simply walk in. I congratulate Local Care Direct - a social enterprise which successfully competed for this contract - on their determination to contribute towards tackling health inequalities in Bradford."

Commenting on the opening of the Hillside Bridge Health Care Centre, Pam James, Chair of the People's Health Forum in Bradford, said:

• "This is a really positive step for the city and it will mean people who need access to medical care can get it, even if they are not registered. The service is something that has been needed for a long time and it will make a huge improvement to the health and well-being of local people."

Alan Johnson toured the Hillside Bridge Health Care Centre meeting staff and patients. The centre will offer a range of services including care for people with diabetes and asthma, sexual health services, minor surgery, vaccinations and immunisations and health and well-being clinics.

Local Care Direct, a nationally recognised social enterprise organisation, built through the Local Improvement Finance Trust (LIFT) programme, runs the health centre. Social enterprises can play a key role in providing high quality health services. The open and transparent local procurement process being used to establish new services has enabled a wide range of organisations such as this, to put forward proposals that combine innovation, quality and value for money.

The new health centres are part of £250 million extra investment in primary care announced last year which also includes setting up 112 new GP practices in parts of the country that have fewer GPs and greater health challenges. This forms part of a wider programme to improve access to GP services, including action to ensure a greater number of GP practices offer early morning, evening or weekend appointments. Almost 60 per cent of GP practices across the country are now offering more flexible opening hours for patients.

Notes:

1. GP Health Centres are a key deliverable of the Primary and Community Care Strategy, published as part of Lord Darzi's Review of the NHS High Quality Care For All published in the summer. On 10 October 2007 Secretary of State for Health, Alan Johnson, announced a £250 million access fund. The fund will enable the NHS to establish over 100 additional new GP practices in under-served areas - and to create over 150 GP health centres (one in each PCT) that will provide open-access GP services for any member of the public, 12 hours a day and 7 days a week.
2. For further information, please contact the Department of Health press office: 020 7210 5221.
3. For further information about the Hillside Bridge Health Centre please contact Peta Wolstencroft, Communications Manager, Bradford and Airedale tPCT: 01274 237720.
4. More information about the Department of Health's social enterprise programme can be found at: http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Managingyourorganisation/Commissioning/Socialenterprise/index.htm
5. LIFT is a well established and successful scheme, enabling trusts and local authorities to develop new capital schemes faster than traditional procurement methods and providing a framework for long-term partnership between the public sector and private sector developers. Further information about LIFT can be found at: http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Procurementandproposals/Publicprivatepartnership/NHSLIFT/index.htm

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