DH - Phil Hope opens first GP health centre in the East Midlands - 9 Dec 08

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New centre in Corby will see patients 8am-8pm, seven days a week
The first fully operational new GP health centre in the East Midlands was officially opened in Corby, Northamptonshire, today by Health Minister Phil Hope. The Lakeside Plus centre is the first of four new GP health centres set to open across Northamptonshire and 12 across the East Midlands providing local people with additional GP services tailored to their needs. The centres, which will see patients from 8am to 8pm, seven days a week, are part of a Government programme to increase access to family doctor services. The region will also benefit from six new and additional GP practices in its most poorly served area as part of the same government initiative.

Any member of the public will be able to use the additional services provided by the Lakeside Plus centre, while staying registered with their local family doctor. Patients can also choose to register at the Lakeside Plus 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 Lakeside Plus centre will provide patients with greater choice, have a strong focus on promoting health and on reducing health inequalities, particularly for hard-to-reach groups.

Health Minister, Phil Hope, said:

• "I am delighted to be opening the Lakeside Plus GP health centre in Corby today, which will undoubtedly make a huge difference in improving access to healthcare for local people.
• "Patients tell me that they want to be able to see a GP at times convenient to them, so this centre will offer them the greater choice and flexibility they want. Any member of the public will be able to see a doctor or nurse between 8am and 8pm, seven days a week, 365 days a year, while still remaining registered with their own GP.
• "Across Northamptonshire 85% of existing practices are now offering extra appointments in evenings, early mornings or weekends. This is a great achievement, thanks to the hard work of GPs and their staff. New GP health centres like this one in Corby will complement existing practices and help to improve the health of local communities."

NHS East Midlands Chief Executive, Barbara Hakin said that today's opening of an 8am - 8pm family doctor service in Corby was good news for local people:

• "Together with the fact that 85% of family doctor services across Northamptonshire are providing extra appointments during evenings and weekends means that more local people will be able to see a family doctor or a member of their team at a place and time convenient to them.
• "These improvements are replicated across the East Midlands with a number of 8am-8pm centres opening in the coming months. Over 50% of GP practices in the East Midlands are now offering more appointments at times convenient to their populations.
• "The PCTs together with local clinicians have worked hard to secure these improvements for the local populations they serve."

Phil Hope toured the Lakeside Plus surgery meeting staff and patients. The health centre will provide Corby with the additional health services it needs to meet the rising demands of its fast growing population. It will also offer a range of innovative services tailored to meet the health needs of local people including a nurse-led minor illness service, screening for health problems such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and sexually transmitted diseases, sexual health services, health and well-being clinics, and an out of hours weekend service.

The location of the new Lakeside Plus centre is on the main health care site in Corby, readily accessible by foot, public transport, and with excellent free parking facilities.

Notes:
1. GP Health Centres were announced in Our NHS our future, the October 2007 Next Stage Review Interim Report, and are part of Lord Darzi's Review of the NHS High Quality Care For All, published on 30 June 2008.

2. 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 parts of the country that have fewer GPs and greater health challenges 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.

3. The statistics for GP extended opening hours for month ending November 2008 were released today by the Department of Health. This data shows the number of GP practices within each Commissioner area (PCTs and Care Trusts) and how many of those practices were offering extended opening hours on the census date (21 November 2008). Over 60 per cent of GP practices across the country are now offering more flexible opening hours for patients. http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Statistics/Performancedataandstatistics/PrimaryCare/index.htm

4. For further information, please contact the Department of Health press office: 020 7210 5221.

5. For further information about the Lakeside Plus surgery please contact Alan Crozier, Northamptonshire PCT: 01536 480 366.

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