£17m North Hull health centre opens
A £14m one-stop health and council centre has opened in the heart of a North Hull community.
The Orchard Centre enables residents to go for a coffee while they wait for their prescription, pay their council bills and surf the internet, or even take their baby for a massage before they go to the dentist.
The huge structure, with escalators and a glass atrium, took 19 months to build and includes two doctors' surgeries, dental services, physiotherapy and speech therapy clinics, toddler groups, stop-smoking sessions, and family planning and midwifery clinics.
The building has a cafe and community centre, and Hull City Council's customer service centre, where people can access everything from housing to disability services.
The doctors' surgeries and council services opened their doors for the first time yesterday and the other NHS services will open gradually over the next two weeks.
A Boots pharmacy is planned, but a date for opening has not been confirmed.
Dave Fowlie, chair of the Thorpe Residents' Association, said: "The building will hopefully kick-start regeneration in Orchard Park.
"It brings all sorts of services under one roof and that can only be good for the whole of north Hull."
The new building is a partnership between NHS Hull, Hull City Council and Citycare, the local health regeneration partnership.
Orchard Park is one of several estates to received new multi-million pound health centres.
Kingswood and Bilton Grange opened their doors recently and a £15m Wilberforce Health Centre will open in Albion Square, in the city centre, next year.
Kath Lavery, chair of NHS Hull, added: "It is brilliant to see this iconic new building finally opening its doors to the public.
"Residents feel rightly proud of their facility.We hope that residents appreciate the choice of services and the convenience it now offers them."
7 Comments
by Christopher, orchard park
Tuesday, December 08 2009, 11:04PM
“By the way "Barry", I also pay thousands in tax, I work 60hrs/week for the privilege, I manage a household, 2 adults and a child (2 kids as of next yr), on a single low income, I get the same access to the same facilities as everyone else (even still pay for prescriptions though my N.I. contributions are sky high), and I still don't sit and moan about it. I think the unemployment and benefits areas do need attention, but for me (and I'm sure anyone else, including yourself), would be glad of continued access to facilities in the (currently not uncommon) event of job loss. 'Nuff said.”
by pie eater, orchard park
Tuesday, December 08 2009, 10:53PM
“I really think there is a split argument here. It's irrelevant who owns the places and how much they cost. Everyone has the right to services their taxes (YES, I WORK) pay for. The facilities are well deserved in poorer areas. It's usually us poorer people earning little wage for many hours of more physically demanding work (that better-off people don't usually have to do), that have more health issues to deal with. However, I do disagree with putting a methodone clinic next to family facilities (unless they've been bright enough to provide seperate access to this?). I have lived on OPE, BHE and Gipsyville, and think its already taken too long to provide adequate facilities, rather than the run-down, ill-equipped surgeries we're used to.”
by Chinese DVD Gang, Warton Stleet Malket
Tuesday, December 08 2009, 10:11AM
“What an ugly building. I take it the design was to blend in with its surroundings. Another waste of money.”
by steve, thorngumbald
Tuesday, December 08 2009, 8:42AM
“can some one come on and tell me who owns these buildings that are popping up all over hull how much they cost to build how much rent they pay per year and over what term?in my eyes we just seem to be lining the pockets of a certain hull firm why i wonder???”
by Barry, Hull
Tuesday, December 08 2009, 8:13AM
“How long are the hard work people of this country supposed to keep supporting this kind of spending. The few people in work have to support a huge number of people who are unemployed.
At the next election can only the people who work get to vote, then we can decide where our money is spent.
If you don't contribute to the treasury why should you have a say in where our money goes.
I pay thousands in tax but get none of it back, it all seems to get spent in poor areas.”
by H, Hull
Tuesday, December 08 2009, 8:00AM
“This article has made me pee myself with laughing.
Stop smoking,family planning and speech therapy on OPE and North hull?
Leave your baby to have a massage whilst you pop in the local boozer for a few beers,yeah right.”
by Billy, Hull
Tuesday, December 08 2009, 7:53AM
“Drug addicts can to go for a coffee while they wait for their fix from the chemists..”