Major milestone as patients welcomed at new £11m Bakewell health centre

Construction of the brand new centre was completed in August with the official handover of the keys to the new building from the contractor to the NHS. And now patients have been welcomed at the community based outpatient care centre. Outgoing chief executive of Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust, Tracy Allen, said: “We’ve talked before about this new building being a legacy to futureproof the NHS’ ability to support the health needs of the local community in first class surroundings. “Many people have had a part to play, over many years, in enabling us to reach this point and I’m honoured to be the one who collected the keys. “It’s very special for me, personally too, to see this over the line now, as I’ll be handing over the keys and the reins as chief executive in a few weeks’ time, to my board colleague Jim Austin. “There’s nothing like going out on a high note.” The development is a partnership between Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust and East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust whose former ambulance station was demolished to make way for the new integrated health facilities. The new health centre marks a major milestone in the development of new community health service facilities for residents of Bakewell and the Dales, providing a state-of-the-art building suitable for the delivery of modern healthcare for many years to come. This development is a major milestone in the regeneration of NHS healthcare facilities and they say will enable the continued provision of a whole range of community-based health services to residents in accommodation suitable for the delivery of modern care. In addition to being a base for East Midlands Ambulance Service, the new health centre is now able to provide children’s services, community nurses and community therapy, a complex wound care hub, as well as continence and catheter clinic. Patients will also be able to receive diabetes education and diabetic retinopathy and access a Parkinson’s clinic. There is also physiotherapy and musculoskeletal services, podiatry and adult speech and language therapy.