Rushcliffe MP Kenneth Clarke joined more than 80 NHS staff, patients and representatives from public, private and voluntary sectors to officially launch the £4.7 million development, Keyworth Primary Care Centre, earlier this month.

The event celebrated the opening of Greater Nottingham’s fourth facility built through Greater Nottingham LIFT (Local Improvement Finance Trust) Company, and officially mark what is already proving to be a very successful 25-year partnership between the public and private sectors to improve health and social care premises across Nottinghamshire.

The purpose-built Keyworth Primary Care Centre opened its doors to patients and local people in April 2007 and is already proving to be a hit with visitors.

The brand new centre, situated on Bunny Lane in Keyworth, is much larger and more modern. It is based next to the site of the former Keyworth Health Centre, which was demolished in April to make way for a new car park.

Gary Smerdon-White, Chair of Greater Nottingham LIFT Company said: “This new medical centre is just what the doctor ordered. Not only is it great news for Keyworth residents, it is an important part of our £79m programme of investment in new health social care and community buildings across Nottinghamshire.”

Tom Fremantle, Chairman of Nottinghamshire Primary Care Trust (PCT) commented: "Keyworth Primary Care Centre has given us an opportunity to enhance patient care, especially for the individual, but also it will also help us to develop services imaginatively to achieve improvements across the care and treatment we provide.”

Services offered in the new facility include Dr Ledger and partners GP practice and consulting and treatment facilities for clinics led by nurses and other health staff. Community health teams are also be based in the new centre, including district nurses and health visitors.

Dr Ledger, one of the doctors working at Keyworth Primary Care Centre, commented: “Our GP practice is delighted to be able to continue to deliver quality health care in surroundings that are fit for purpose, having struggled for many years in the old health centre. We are looking forward to the possibility of gradually extending patient services in new and different ways within the new building.”

The new buildings are part of an ongoing programme in the county to give local communities better access to a greater range of health and social care services all under one roof. The first phase of the project has been a huge success so far, with new LIFT facilities in Carlton, Clifton, Stapleford, Rainworth, Balderton, Ashfield Health Village in Kirkby and Bull Farm (Mansfield) already serving local people and improving services over the past year.