Everything you need to know about the development of the brand new Highley Medical Practice at the Severn Centre...
In January 2024 we started work on reconfigure part of the Severn Centre in Highley, to accommodate the General Practice services for the area.
As part of the Severn Centre, the brand-new facility will not only maintain and expand essential General Practice (GP) services in the area, but will also include a broader range of health and care services provided by the local Primary Care Network (PCN) and partner organisations. It is hoped that local people utilise these services, in a central location, and are also able to benefit from the complementary activities on offer at the Severn Centre.
Health and care professionals from Bridgnorth Medical Practice will be delivering GP services from the new centre and have been operating from temporary accommodation from Highley since July 2023. As you can see from the plans below, there will be four consulting rooms (green) within the new centre, two treatment rooms (purple), as well as a spacious, accessible reception and waiting area (orange and blue).
As part of the design process, we had taken into consideration all the feedback gathered earlier in 2023 shared by local people so the result is a facility that provides an environment where health professionals can proudly care for patients and ensure that General Practice services remain in the area.
You shared with us what is important to you in terms of how you access GP services, and these included:
- Parking
- Accessibility
- Privacy
- Capacity
- Nursing
Plus, you were keen to have access to:
- Blood tests
- Physiotherapy
- Mental Health Support
So, in response to this, we took on board your comments and provided the following. Your new GP practice will have:
- Easy accessibility with a large car park closely located, disabled parking spaces, wheelchair access, a designated wheelchair area within the waiting area and a fully accessible toilet.
- Increased capacity with six clinical rooms supporting all aspects of care, including two larger treatment rooms enabling regular nursing provision in an appropriate clinical environment.
- Private consultation rooms, as well as a private section of the waiting area including the ability to speak with the reception/admin team.
- By increasing room capacity, the number of health professionals working in the centre will also increase, providing more services to local people.
- The centre will house numerous health professionals including GPs and Nurses, as well as an extended healthcare team including a Physiotherapist, a Dietitian, a Mental Health Practitioner, a Health and Wellbeing Coach in Mental Health, as well as Healthy Lives Advisors and much more.
From left: Philip Dunne MP, Dr Aaron Tindall, Dr Jess Harvey and Stuart Anderson MP
NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin said the new Highley Medical Practice will be created by reconfiguring an area of the Severn Centre – to host General Practice (GP) and other health and wellbeing services.
Changes to the Severn Centre will mean that the library service will move to a different part of the building.
MP Philip Dunne, left, alongside doctors, nurses, Halo Leisure staff and a builder
A survey had been launched by Halo Leisure and Shropshire Council to ask people what they valued from the library service.
There will also be more health and care services provided by the local Primary Care Network (PCN) and partner organisations once the new centre is opened.
Health and care professionals from Bridgnorth Medical Practice will be delivering GP services from the centre and have been operating from Highley since July 2023.
It is expected that additional health and wellbeing services will be available from the location in the future.
The new centre
Dr Jessica Harvey, clinical director for the south-east primary care network (PCN), said: “This vital project has been made possible by an equal partnership effectively working together to secure funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL).
“We are delighted to share the building designs and through several engagement sessions with the community have taken into consideration all feedback shared. We now look forward to providing an environment where health professionals can proudly care for patients and ensure that General Practice services remain in the area.
“As per comments from members of the community, the new centre will provide easy accessibility, increased capacity with six clinical rooms supporting all aspects of care, private consultation rooms, as well as more access to health professionals including GPs, nurses, and the extended healthcare team.”
The partnership for the Highley Health and Wellbeing Centre is made up of NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, Shropshire Council, Highley Parish Council, Bridgnorth Medical Practice, the South-East Shropshire Primary Care Network (PCN) and Halo Leisure, the charity which runs the Severn Centre.
By Dominic Robertson
Original article and photos can be found at this link: https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/health/2024/01/06/work-on-all-new-medical-practice-near-bridgnorth-will-start-next-week/
GP Practice Partners...
