The foundations of Mansfield’s newest multi-million pound GP practice have been laid.

An official turf cutting ceremony marked the start of building work of the £2.8m Bull Farm Primary Care Resource Centre on the Millennium Business Park in Enterprise Way, Mansfield.

The new medical centre is being constructed as part of a Public Private Partnership (PPP) agreement with Mansfield District Primary Care Trust (PCT), replacing the existing Bull Farm surgery in nearby Chesterfield Road North.

Mansfield District PCT Chief Executive Eleri de Gilbert said: “I am delighted that at the same time as we bring a new practice to Bull Farm with vision and energy that we also provide much needed new state-of-the-art facilities, which will allow us over time to develop a lot more new services closer to patients homes."

Services to be provided in the new centre:

• A modern General Practice.
• Community Nursing.
• Physiotherapy.
• Podiatry.
• Pharmacy.

Mansfield MP Alan Meale, guest of honour at the turf cutting ceremony, said: “When completed this new primary care facility will be a major boost to the Bull Farm community and I'm delighted to take part in this turf cutting ceremony, which marks the start of its construction.’’

The centre is part of £34.2 million of investment in new healthcare facilities for North Nottinghamshire, to be delivered through the newly formed North Nottinghamshire LIFTCo, which is made up of four North Notts PCTs, ExcellCare Ltd and Partnerships for Health. The development, being designed and built by Laing O’Rourke, will take approximately 15 months to complete and will finish in April 2007. Services will then move into the new centre, which will open in early Summer 2007.

Mansfield District PCT Chairman Tony Hughes commented: “I am really pleased to see that the patients at the new Bull Farm surgery are now being offered such wonderful new premises. This will put Bull Farm at the forefront of primary care provision and enable the development of better services for patients.”

Carl Dix, General Manager of the North Nottinghamshire LIFTCo, said: “Bull Farm is an important part of a 7 scheme project in North Nottinghamshire. The Turf cutting ceremony represents the culmination of a great deal of hard work from all the partner organisations in LIFT.”

John Cassidy, Chief Executive of ExcellCare Ltd commented: "The local community will benefit from access to comprehensive health and social care, provided from modern purpose built facilities.”

A spokesperson from Laing O’Rourke said: “We are very pleased to have been given the opportunity to build this new heath centre for Mansfield. The centre will offer a greater service to the people of Mansfield, providing a one-stop shop style environment set in a spacious new surround."