Andy Burnham MP officially opens new medical centre in North Staffordshire 2 March 2010

Andy Burnham MP, Secretary of State for Health joined Joan Walley MP for Stoke-on-Trent North to officially open the new £3 million Medical Centre in Middleport, Stoke-on-Trent on Monday 1 March.

Developed by Prima 200 LIFT Company together with private sector development partner Prime plc on behalf of NHS Stoke on Trent, the new state-of-the-art Middleport Medical Centre received funding under the Equitable Access in Primary Care (EAPC) scheme.

Prima 200’s work with NHS Stoke on Trent, local councillors, RENEW and North Staffordshire Regeneration Partnership (NSRP) indicated significant need in Middleport and when the new centre opened, 350 patients registered in the first week, demonstrating the effectiveness of a partner with genuine local knowledge and a long term interest in the area.

Working with PCT and local authority colleagues, the Prima 200 team worked hard to ensure the building was completed on time. It took just under 12 months to deliver the scheme to financial close, which included two planning permissions on different sites, as two weeks before the original planning application was approved an alternative site was identified by the PCT which local people, politicians and health care planners all preferred.

Head of Clinical Effectiveness and Quality Ian Gibson at NHS Stoke on Trent said: “Stoke-on-Trent is an under-doctored area and the Primary Care Trust has a responsibility to ensure that local people have easy access to a local GP surgery. This really is a fantastic facility and will provide a much needed service for the people of Middleport and the surrounding areas.”

The initial aim is for around 2,500 patients, eventually rising to 6,000 over the next five years as the new centre takes on patients who are new to the area but also people from existing local practices who want to register there.

Environmental issues are always a key concern for new buildings and the design of the new centre by One Creative Environments Ltd ensures that environmental and sustainability measures have been included, from selecting materials on the basis of proven best environmental performance to energy efficiencies such as an eco-lift and use of natural building ventilation which prevents the need for air conditioning.