BUILDING work on Accrington’s £7.5M state-of-the-art health centre is almost complete.
The Accrington Pals Primary Healthcare Centre in Paradise Street will be an ultra-modern unit housing some of the town’s GPs.
Other services will include physiotherapy, a diabetic clinic and occupational therapy.
It is the first phase of a £17M investment in Hyndburn which also includes a second healthcare centre in Black-burn Road and the Broad Oak dental education and training centre at the back of the Paradise Street centre.
Members of the public are being invited to a sneak preview of the new centre on Tuesday, giving everyone the opportunity to tour the huge building as work continues to kit it out with equipment.
The centre was built with the aim of providing an extensive range of healthcare under one roof close to the town centre, meaning patients will have to travel less for treatment.
Public 30-minute tours of the building will be held at 9.30am, 10am, 11am, 1.30pm, 2pm, 3pm and 3.30pm.
A guide from the East Lancashire Primary Care Trust will take members of the public around the site.
The community health centre was named in honour of the Pals as a way of remembering the 720 men who took part in the opening day of the Battle of the Somme and the 584 who lost their lives, were wounded or went missing in one day alone.
This week, the key to the door was officially handed over by the director of Lancashire builders the Eric Wright Group, Mike Collier, to the PCT.
East Lancashire PCT chief executive David Peat said: “The ceremonial and symbolic handover marks the beginning of a new era in healthcare provision for Hyndburn.
“We are delighted to be in a position to deliver this brilliant all-in-one health centre as the first phase in bringing 21st century facilities to people’s doorsteps.
“Local people will have more services right here in their own community.”
Services are expected to be provided at the Paradise Street centre by the end of the year.
