The four Greater Nottingham primary care trusts (PCTs) and Nottingham City Council have signed a £45m public/private sector partnership agreement with Partnerships for Health (an agency of the Department of Health), and Primary Plus Ltd to deliver 21st century primary health and social care facilities in Greater Nottingham.

The agreement will be delivered under the Local Improvement Finance Trust (LIFT) initiative and is part of a wider strategic approach also involving Nottinghamshire County Council, Broxtowe Borough Council and Rushcliffe Borough Council.

The first tranche of schemes includes new one-stop centres in Carlton, Stapleford and Clifton (John Ryle). The new buildings will provide local communities with improved access to a greater range of health and social care and council services under one roof. A further two sites in Hyson Green (Mary Potter) and Keyworth will be finalised in September 2004.

Construction of the first three schemes will start from June and it is expected that the new buildings will be open in early 2006.

John Hutton, minister for health said: “Today’s announcement will see the public and private sectors working together to help improve the quality of local NHS services. It will bring services to the people that matter most: the patients of Greater Nottingham. I pay particular tribute to the local consortium that have designed facilities that are able to provide additional care such as diabetes, coronary heart disease and dermatology. This is a trailblazing scheme and I look forward to seeing the benefits it will bring to the area.”

Greater Nottingham LIFT project director Jim Mason added: “Greater Nottingham LIFT is a 25 year partnership between the public and private sector, so these five sites are just the start of an on-going programme of development in this area. Now that contracts have been signed we can start building modernised health and social care premises across Greater Nottingham, often in the most deprived areas that need them most.”

Primary Plus director, David Hartshorne said: “This LIFT scheme means that the local community will have access to comprehensive health and social care provided in modern primary care settings by a highly skilled and appropriately trained workforce.”

Speaking for Nottingham City Council, Acting Director of Social Services, Andrew Lowe said “Today’s announcement is the first fruit of two years work to bring together local services in such a way that primary health, social care and housing functions can be delivered in an integrated way, putting local people first.”