Patients will finally be able to make the most of Colne’s new multi-million pound health centre after a three month wait.
The state of the art building, in Craddock Road, was due to open in February. But delays were caused while legal contracts were finalised.
Now an opening date has been revealed, with the premises officially opening its doors to the public on Monday, May 19th.
Three surgeries from the current Market Street centre - Colne Family Doctors Surgery, Horsfield Practice, Richmond Hill Group Practice - will move across three days before.
And community services will begin to move in from former premises a week before, with services including podiatry, sexual health, treatment rooms, and speech and language therapies operational by the following week. Services will be contacting patients on an individual basis with specific operational details.
Richard Jones, area team director for NHS England Lancashire said: “We would like to take this opportunity to thank the people of Colne for their patience whilst details for the move have been finalised.
“Colne has a superb new Health Centre providing state of the art facilities fit for 21st Century healthcare which is now ready to open its doors to patients”
And Andy Pratt, project director for NHS Property Services Ltd, who managed the construction of the new health centre, added: “We are really pleased with the finished result and would like to thank everyone who has been part of this exciting new development for Colne.”
Doctors’ surgeries will be closed between Friday, May 16th and 19th, but medical care will still be available to those patients requiring non-routine appointments.
Patients who are registered with a GP at the existing health centre will shortly receive a letter explaining arrangements for accessing emergency GP services during the closure, and details will also be publicised at those practices who are due to move.
Residents are also urged to order repeat prescriptions in good time and ensure they have enough medication until the surgeries re-open on Monday 19th May 2014.
From Monday, May 19th the new number for the main reception at the new centre will be 731022
Other numbers will be:
l Colne Family Doctors Surgery - 731560
l Horsfield Practice - 731570
l Richmond Hill Group Practice - 731731