Construction work has started on the new Hereford Medical Centre after a £9m deal was struck by specialist health and care developer, Prime, and the NHS Herefordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).
To mark the occasion, a turf-cutting ceremony was held on the site where the centre will be built in Station Approach.
Attendees included Jesse Norman, MP for Hereford; Councillor Brian Wilcox, chairman of Herefordshire Council; Dr Ian Tait, chairman of the NHS Herefordshire CCG; and Dr Jonathan Duffett and Dr Andy Watts, who will be practicing at the surgery once it is complete.
Senior staff from Speller Metcalfe, the local contractor delivering the project, and developer, Prime, were also there to celebrate the milestone.
The Hereford Medical Centre will be built in the heart of the City on behalf of the Hereford Medical Group, a consortium of five local GP practices which will be co-located in the modern and accessible purpose-built facility once it opens in 2020.
From under one roof, the Hereford Medical Group will be able to make a positive change to the delivery of GP services in its community, making them more sustainable and efficient, and improving the patient experience of seeing their local healthcare teams.
The multi-million-pound project is a priority scheme for the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Sustainability and Transformation Partnership (STP) and represents the biggest-ever single investment in primary care for Herefordshire.
Its construction is being financed by both Prime and NHS England, which awarded the scheme £2.1m from its Estates, Technology and Transformation Fund (ETTF).
The completed building will be occupied by the Hereford Medical Group under a 3PD lease.
Richard Laing, executive chairman at Prime, said: “We have been working closely with the Hereford Medical Group, NHS Herefordshire CCG and Herefordshire Council for five years to bring these exciting plans to fruition, so we are very pleased that we have been able to secure the investment needed to make our collective ambitions a reality and to be here today to see the building work commence.
“It’s a truly-landmark scheme for Hereford and one which will not only have a positive impact on patient care, but being the first major scheme along the new link road, will also provide a platform for the wider development in this part of the City.”
Dr Duffett added: “We are very pleased to have finally signed off on the new surgery development and for work to be starting on site.
“It’s great to be looking forward to a fit-for-purpose modern primary care building for Hereford City.
“It provides for us an appropriate environment to deliver healthcare for decades to come, with better facilities, accessibility, and the flexibility to change with future needs.”
