The UK’s largest single-site health centre has officially opened at the University of Nottingham.
Replacing the original Cripps Health Centre, which opened in 1969; the pioneering new facility will serve 45,000 patients — the biggest GP register on one single site in the UK.
The building has been funded in part via a £9m transformational gift from the Cripps Foundation and is located on Cripps Hill, where the original health centre was sited.
Speaking about the new flagship facility, Dr Paul Greatrix, University of Nottingham registrar, said: “The new Cripps Health Centre offers an exemplar facility for both our university community and for generations to come.
“By investing in these new modern facilities we are committed to further enhancing the quality of healthcare at the university and to ensure the wellbeing of our students and staff.
As a result of the added space and flexibility the new building provides, the university has expanded its team to increase appointment availability and expand the range of services.
The centre offers a holistic approach to primary health and dental care, with enhanced clinical consulting rooms, minor operations suites, a patient observation bay, physiotherapy areas, dentist treatment rooms, pharmacy and mental health suite, as well as training rooms and offices.
Student welfare services remain a priority with the new-build providing accommodation for the University Mental Health Advisory Service, with space to bring in associate staff at busy times as needed, for example providing essential crisis services to the student community.
Claire Thompson, head of student welfare, said: “The space is much less clinical and more appropriate for staff to do one-to-one therapeutic work with service users.
“Environment plays a key part in helping people to feel safe and comfortable to discuss their difficulties.”
The new Health Centre has also incorporated medicinal and aromatherapy plants into a Courtyard Garden, with an area of Chinese medicinal planting.
The building was designed by CPMG Architects. Its director, Nick Gregory, said: “We’re proud to see this flagship centre for the university completed after years of anticipation. It’s now the largest healthcare facility of its kind in the UK, yet it has a very human feel and scale.
“This centre allows us to combine two areas of our expertise – higher education and healthcare design. It’s a fantastic addition to the campus and to primary care provision in the city of Nottingham.
“The design complements the beautifully-green campus of the university of Nottingham, with natural materials and a timeless palette externally, and light and bright interiors fit for a modern healthcare facility.”
Engineering firm, Arup, provided civil, structural, mechanical and electrical engineering design services for the development and it was built by Interserve.
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