Photo: Gedling MP Vernon Coaker cutting the robbon outside the new centre

Gedling MP Vernon Coaker will join more than 100 representatives from public, private and voluntary organisations and local residents to officially launch the £7.5 million development, Park House Health & Social Care Centre in Carlton, on Friday 3rd March 2006.

The event will celebrate the opening of Nottingham’s first facility built through Greater Nottingham LIFTCo (Local Improvement Finance Trust), 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 Greater Nottingham.

The purpose-built Park House Health and Social Care Centre opened its doors to patients from across Nottingham and the people of Gedling in January 2006 and is already proving to be a hit with the visitors.

Joan Gilbert, a Carlton resident in her seventies and recent visitor to Park House said:

“I remember going to the dentist in Park House as a child and being terrified! People were sad about the loss of the former building but you have got to look to the future. The new building is a wonderful place and is just what was needed in the local community.”

The Centre, situated on Burton Road in Carlton, is based on the site of the former Carlton Clinic. The brand new building is much larger and more modern, with a central atrium that fills building with light and provides visitors with a gallery of pictures created by local groups.

Derek Stewart, Chair of Gedling Primary Care Trust commented:

“Park House provides the opportunity of bringing together health and social care and modernising public services. This development is not just about a building though. It is about providing first class, joined up services for the people of Carlton and patients from across the whole of Nottingham.”

Services offered in the new building include Park House Medical Centre GP Practice, multi-purpose diagnostic and treatment clinics, children and young people’s clinics and other community facilities, such as Citizen’s Advice, community meeting rooms and counselling rooms. Park House also provides a working base for nursing and social care teams.

Over time, services will be expanded to give local people even better access to even more services, including a large retail pharmacy, which will be opening in the next month.

Construction work is now complete on the schemes in Clifton and Stapleford and both new facilities are due to open to patients in the Spring. Construction work has also commenced on a further two sites in Hyson Green and Keyworth. The primary care centre for Keyworth is due to open in Spring 2007 and the joint access centre for Hyson Green will be completed in mid 2008.