New health centres to offer NHS and social support

A neighbourhood health centre combining NHS and community services is to open in Bradford as part of a national project.

Westbourne Green Community Hospital in Manningham is one of the first of 27 centres to receive the funding, which will also see upgrades to facilities in Leeds, Doncaster and County Durham.

At first the centres will combine urgent care, GP and pharmacy services but eventually they will also include debt, employment and family advice.

NHS England said the sites had been chosen because of high levels of local deprivation, "ensuring investment goes first to communities who need it most".

GP Dr Kashif Sarwar, who is based at Leeds Beeston Hill Health Centre which will also receive funding for upgrades, welcomed the news.

He said: "The funding means we can upgrade our estate and work with partners across health, social care and the voluntary sector to bring even more services together under one roof, making care simpler and more convenient for local people.

"With integrated teams and improved access to services and diagnostics, we can help people get the right care earlier, improve continuity, and tackle the wider factors that shape health and well-being."

The project includes The Stone Castle Centre in Doncaster and Seaham Primary Care Centre in County Durham.

The government has set aside £50m for the project, which will see the first sites open by 2027.

It said it hoped the project would cut waiting lists, tackle inequalities and shift more care into communities, as well as reducing unnecessary hospital visits and supporting people with long term or complex needs.

GP and Primary Care Medical Director for NHS North East and Yorkshire Dr Faisel Baig said he hoped the centres would make it easier for people to access "joined up care".

"By bringing GP services together, we can help people to get the right care more quickly, close to home, while avoiding unnecessary trips to hospital.

"We are bringing care to them with a wider range of more tailored support," he said.

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