West Walk Surgery in Yate is celebrating moving to its new premises in the £12 million Yate West Gate Centre today, Monday 8th March.
Mr George Toogood, aged 100, and thirteen day old Joseph Nutt, the oldest and youngest patients at West Walk Surgery, have been invited to join the celebrations and help cut the ribbon on the surgery’s first working day in its new home.
West Walk Surgery in Yate has moved from its temporary building behind Yate library into the new Yate West Gate Centre. The Yate West Gate Centre, which opened Monday 8th February, 2010, is a joint venture with NHS South Gloucestershire and South Gloucestershire Council providing local residents access to a range of health, children’s, young people and family services all in one place.
Staff at West Walk Surgery have been treating patients in temporary offices for the past two years. West Walk Surgery’s managing partner, Martin Wilkes, said: “The new building is a massive improvement. Although the cabins have served us well and were a vast improvement on the previous building, we appreciate it has still not been ideal.”
West Walk Surgery first opened its doors in 1970 after doctors working fromhome realised the need for better health provision. Kennedy Way and Courtside surgeries shared the building but as Yate’s population grew they both moved into their own premises.
In recent years, the surgery became unfit for purpose and doctors decided to build a new practice and an agreement was reached with NHS South Gloucestershire to lease part of a new health centre on the site of the former surgery.
The surgery, which is based on the first floor of the Yate West Gate Centre, has 13,000 patients on its register. The surgery will have four treatment rooms and 11 consulting rooms. Mr Wilkes said: “We will have our own dedicated reception area which we did not before, a call screen, and a new phone system which will be a major improvement on the previous outdated system. Importantly, there will be a GP’s office where doctors can work together and share information to help improve patient’s welfare.”
Penny Harris, chief executive of NHS South Gloucestershire said: “We are delighted the West Walk Surgery has moved into Yate West Gate Centre and I’m sure that patients will appreciate the modern facilities. The Centre is a unique facility. Patients will now be able to visit a GP and access council services for families and young people all in one visit. When all services are up and running, local people will be able to access therapy and hospital outpatient appointments, have an x-ray or get treatment for a minor injury without needing to travel to a hospital as they do now.”
The Yate West Gate Centre also contains the Yate Children’s Hub, run by South Gloucestershire Council. The Hub includes the Children and Young People Information Service providing the general public with information and advice on a range of issues such as finding a childminder, after school activities, working tax credits, education and training, or access to services such as maternity services and health visitors. A Sure Start Children’s Centre runs play and stay sessions twice a week.
Specialist clinics for assessing joint problems (the Clinical Assessment and Treatment Service -CATS), podiatry, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy and community dental services have already opened at the Centre. A new digital X-ray facility is now open and taking patients.
In April 2010, a range of outpatient clinics for breast care, respiratory problems, gynaecology, gastroenterology and skin conditions will open at the centre. A Minor Injuries Unit will also be available where people will be able to get care for an injury such as a cuts, grazes, sprains or bites, leg or arm injuries instead of going to A&E at Frenchay Hospital.
NHS South Gloucestershire estimates that, after the centre is up and running, 34,000 appointments will take place at the centre every year rather than at major hospitals.
Source: NHS South Gloucestershire
