Posted on Monday 28th February 2022
Plans to put two Burntwood GP practices in a new building follows the successful move last year of the nearby Greenwood Health Centre, pictured.
Planning has begun for a new purpose-built medical centre to replace old or temporary GP buildings.
To be built on land owned by Staffordshire County Council and supported by NHS Staffordshire’s Clinical Commissioning Groups, the centre will become the new home for two existing medical practices in Burntwood.
The announcement for the plans at Cherry Close follows the recent opening of the Greenwood Health Centre, on Lichfield Road, Burntwood, which provided a £3.4 million facility for patients of the former Darwin Medical Practice.
Julia Jessel, Staffordshire County Council’s Cabinet member for Health and Care, said:
Following the success of the Greenwood Centre on land that the county council had deliberately held on to so it could be used for the benefit of the people of Burntwood, I am delighted we can now use this second site to do exactly the same again.
Although it’s very early days I’m sure that once it’s built, the new medical centre will be a fantastic addition to the town and there is also the opportunity to put other services on the site as we need them.
This is another example of how close working with the NHS can make a real, very positive difference to people’s day-to-day lives and provide first class facilities close to home.”
The eight acre Cherry Close site was formerly a youth centre but is now used by tenants on short term leases and the council is working with them to find long term alternatives.
The two medical practices earmarked for the move are Salters Meadow and Burntwood Health and Wellbeing Centre.
The latter has been based in temporary buildings on the adjoining leisure centre site for many years.
Lynn Millar, Director of Primary Care for the NHS Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Clinical Commissioning Groups, said:
We are delighted to be working with Staffordshire County Council on this project on plans that could lead to improved services for local people.
While this is still at an early stage, we are keen to explore the benefits this would bring.”
The Greenwood Health Centre opened in October and has 12 consulting rooms, five treatment rooms, a healthcare/phlebotomy room, and a health education space in a single-story building, plus space for an adjoining pharmacy.