18 June 2007
Two new, state-of-the-art primary care premises are to be built in Southampton by gbprimarycare, Assura Group’s LIFT Company for South West Hampshire LIFT after its decision to select gbprimarycare as preferred development partner.
Following a short listing of three bidders, gbprimarycare was selected as it has a proven track record in providing modern primary care centres.
Assura Group is one of the UK’s leading investors in LIFT and is currently over half way through a £750 million investment programme. Assura is currently involved in four operational LIFT projects as well as being preferred bidder at South East Essex LIFT.
The first scheme will provide a new purpose built Primary Care Delivery Centre on the Western Community Hospital site.
The proposed ‘one stop shop’ will provide better access to a greater range of health services including an NHS walk-in centre, GP surgeries, practitioners with special interests, physiotherapy, musculoskeletal clinic, space for advice sessions such as healthy eating and smoking cessation and a pharmacy.
The second scheme will see a long-awaited replacement for the Adult Mental Health in-patient unit on the Royal South Hants Hospital site in Southampton. This unit will provide a safe and secure therapeutic environment, designed to enhance high quality care.
A Home Treatment service will also be co-located with the in-patient unit to provide support in the community and with the aim of keeping people out of hospital.
The in-patient unit will provide 50 in-patient beds, a ten bed psychiatric intensive care unit, therapy services and facilities to meet a diversity of needs.
Both schemes are subject to financial close later this year and the next stage of development will involve gbprimarycare and South West Hampshire’s Project Team working closely together with patients to finalise the schemes and apply for planning permission, with construction to begin early in 2008.
Andy Clapper, director of information and estates at Hampshire Partnership NHS Trust said: "The Trust is delighted with the appointment of gbprimarycare as the private sector partner.
"The LIFT project has given us the means to realise one of the Trust's highest priority objectives: providing a state-of-the-art in-patient facility for the people of Southampton to replace the Department of Psychiatry."
Dr Sue O'Connell, chief executive of Partnerships for Health added: "South West Hampshire is the fifth of the fourth wave LIFT projects to reach this stage of the LIFT procurement.
"This marks the start of a potential 20-year partnership of collaborative working resulting in a step change in the delivery of primary health and social care in South West Hampshire benefiting patients, staff and communities alike."
Alan Gavurin, bid team leader of Assura Group said: "We are delighted to have been appointed to work with Southampton City PCT, Hampshire Partnership NHS Trust and Hampshire PCT and to take forward this very exciting scheme for improving health care facilities for the people of Southampton in areas where they are much needed."
"The mental health unit is particularly exciting and we are very proud of the designs for both buildings which will enable major improvements in patient care."
ENDS.
Press enquiries regarding Assura Group and Assura Property to:
Andrew McKeon, AJM Public Relations.
Tel: 0113 293 9950; Mobile: 07802 484 155
Louise Bathersby, Assura Group.
Tel: 020 7107 3830
Notes to editors:
Assura Property, which is the leading shareholder in the LIFT Company, is currently over halfway through a £750 million investment programme into new and existing primary care centres across the UK. It has already committed investment in over 120 premises. Assura Property is a division of the Assura Group whose investments also include pharmacies, community hospitals and joint venture partnerships with GPs.
LIFT is a government based public private partnership scheme that aims to replace existing primary care centres. There are currently over 100 new primary care centres that have been built by this scheme.
Financial close is the moment at which contracts are formally agreed and construction can begin.
The NHS partners in the South West Hampshire LIFT are:
Southampton City PCT
Hampshire PCT
Hampshire Partnership NHS Trust
South Coast Ambulance Service NHS Trust (Hampshire division)
Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust
Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust
Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council
Eastleigh Borough Council
Hampshire County Council
