Great Barr GPs and patients celebrated the completion of structural work on their brand-new medical centre this month with a traditional gift for the building.
A potted tree was presented to GPs from the three practices - which will be merging and moving into the purpose-built facility on the corner of Queslett Road and Whitecrest later this year - in keeping with the tradition of ‘topping out’.
The three GP practices currently operate out of separate, small premises within a few hundred yards of each other and none of the buildings are fit for the future. The practices are adapting to continue to meet NHS policies and will be merging to form Scott Arms Medical Group, combining services in the new building – meaning additional resources and services can be offered to all patients.
The environmentally-friendly new premises will include 12 specialist, multi-use GP consulting rooms, four nurse treatment rooms, a health promotion facility and first-rate facilities for reception and administration staff, making it a great environment for patients and boosting local health outcomes.
The building, which will also have an onsite pharmacy and osteopath, is scheduled to open this summer to its 11,500 patients and is a priority project for NHS Sandwell and West Birmingham CCG.
Dr Priyanand Hallan, premises project lead and GP at Park House Surgery said: “It’s been brilliant coming to the site and having a look round the building for the first time. It looks like it’s going to be a very good building that will serve the people of Great Barr and meet their health and wellbeing needs. It’s been a gargantuan effort by everyone involved - the GPs, the CCG, Medcentres and Assura - to get this project off the ground, and will be a great addition to Great Barr.”
Dorothy Gospel, a member of Park House Surgery PPG , said: “It’s going to mean a lot to all the patients. I can’t wait for everything to be under one roof, rather than services being here there and everywhere it’ll be in one place.”
Representatives from each of the three practices (Park House Surgery, 33 Newton Road and Sundial Lane), development company MedCentres, contractor HCC and primary care property specialist Assura, which is funding the project, attended the event to tour the structure of the new building and celebrate the hard work that has taken place to date.
Jon Webb, Senior Development Manager at Assura said: “We are thrilled to see the building start to take shape. This will be transformative for primary care in the local area and have a huge social impact. We’re really enjoying working alongside the GPs, MedCentres and HCC - we can’t wait to see the building open later this year and welcome it to our portfolio.”
Mike Arnold, Director at MedCentres and the GPs’ development partner added: “Buildings like this are the future of healthcare and accord with the NHS Long Term plan to provide a greater amount of services in a community setting. When you look at where the three practices are coming from, their collaboration and co-location will be a game-charger for patients and staff alike.”