A VIP has visited a site in Norfolk which is being expanded to create more space for health and care services.
Lord Markham, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Health and Social Care, toured the Thetford Healthy Living Centre which is currently in the midst of a £2.8m improvement programme.
The building on Croxton Road currently hosts a range of primary care, diagnostic, mental health, and outpatient services which are delivered on the ground floor of the building.
The refurbishment will create additional capacity to meet patient demand for general practice services and wider health services in Thetford now, and to meet the growing demand from planned developments in the area.
It will see former office and admin areas transformed into 14 new rooms for care and treatment which will increase the amount of space and therefore reduce waiting times for appointments, plus there will be extra ground-floor space for GP services.
Lord Markham said:
“We’re committed to ensuring that patients across the country have access to top-quality healthcare, and as part of our long-term plan for our health service this £2.8m investment of NHS capital will foster integration of services and provide a modern and accessible healthcare facility that is fit for the future.
“It’s fantastic to see the innovation happening in Thetford and how this clinical space has been designed to provide flexibility for health and care service provision for local patients, creating additional capacity to meet patient demand in the area.”
In addition to the works on the first floor, the refurbishment also includes expansion of the carpark as well as installation of Electric Vehicle charging points. A second lift is being added to improve patient accessibility to the first floor as well, which will improve patient flow-through the building and improve patient experience.
