Sir Keogh, medical director of the NHS, officially opened the Corby Urgent Care Centre (UCC) in Northamptonshire, and challenged people to visit the building to see the future shape of the health service.
He told guests at the ceremony: "The UCC has good architecture that makes people feel at home. It doesn't feel like an NHS building. The NHS is under scrutiny to see how we will make improvements. My challenge to others is to visit this centre and see how it's done."
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The exemplar centre differs from similar projects, even those built recently, with facilities for observation of patients for up to four hours, relieving pressure on the A&E department at the main hospital in neighbouring Kettering.
With 1,750sq m of floor space, the UCC provides room and services for a wide range of diagnostic facilities - including x-ray and ultrasound – as well as a plaster room. Situated at the heart of a residential area, next to an existing GP surgery, which is the largest in Corby, it will enable people to be seen nearer to home for a wider range of diagnostics and treatment.
The project is the first stage in major plans for new healthcare facilities at the site, which in turn are expected to act as a catalyst for regeneration of the whole area to the west of the town.
The £2.9m centre has been designed to be future proof with main spaces and services that can be adapted to meet changing healthcare needs, and consideration for the proposed second and third phases of building on the site.
(CD/JP)
