New Health Centre Opens in Tunstall

New Health Centre Opens in Tunstall

27 September 2011

Patients and staff have stepped through the doors of their brand new medical centre in Tunstall, Stoke on Trent for the first time. 

Two GP practices based in ageing premises nearby, have relocated to the brand new building which also offers a range of other health services.

Doctors, nurses and their patients said they were impressed with the two-storey, 22,174 square foot centre.

The health centre and pharmacy form the latest stage of the Alexandra Park development in Tunstall, which already includes shops and a gym.

The £4.5 million Tunstall Primary Care Centre has now opened its door to the public after being completed on schedule in a development delivered by Yorkshire based Dransfield Properties Ltd.

Dr Anil Sonnathi, who runs one of the GP practices, said: "We have a bigger building here, so as a growing practice we have a lot more space to expand. We have been accredited as a teaching practice, training future GPs, and we now have a designated room for that.

"I've been seeing my first patients in the new practice and so far they are all very happy with it."

As well as two full-time and two part-time GPs, serving 5,000 patients, the health centre in Scotia Road also houses a dental access centre, district and specialist nurses and health visitors.

Other services operating from the site include blood testing, paediatric physiotherapy, diatetics, orthopics, speech therapy and podiatry, with a 5,000 sq ft Boots pharmacy next door.

The 241-space car park on site will charge £1 for two hours' parking, although patients will be able to get this reimbursed at the pharmacy.

NHS Stoke-on-Trent expects around 70,000 patients will use the health centre each year and it will be the base for 90m members of staff. a brand new Boots pharmacy also opened the same day.

The move means health care professionals can provide a wider range of services with the possibility of adding more in the future.

Andrew Malley, retail property director for developer Dransfield Properties, said: "The completion of this latest phase is part of our delivery of a truly sustainable town centre."

For further information, contact:

Public Relations Department, Dransfield Properties Ltd
Tel: 01226 360644
Email: pr@dransfield.co.uk