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Whitegate Health Centre
After years in the planning, months of public consultation, endless meetings, discussions and revision of plans, and lots of hard work, Blackpool's first Primary Care Centre was officially opened by the Secretary of State for Health, the Rt Hon Andy Burnham MP, on Monday 16th November 2009.
The Rt Hon Andy Burnham MP, Secretary of State for Health, opened Blackpool’s first Primary Care Centre on Monday 16th November.
Mr Burnham, who described the £20m state-of-the-art Whitegate Health Centre as “one of the best in the country”, also toured the centre and met staff who will be working there.
He also said he was very impressed with the design and quality of the new building, which features artwork by local sculptor John Ditchfield.
In his speech to open the primary care centre, Mr Burnham said:
“This is a big step forward for healthcare in Blackpool. Seeing this new face of the town is wonderful. I hope it is part of the continuing regeneration in the town.
“Providing these facilities at a local level can really take services from the hospital into the community which is not only beneficial for patients, it makes the NHS more effecient.
“This health care investment in Blackpool is crucial. This has been a long time in the planning and taken a lot of hard work.”
Among the other VIP guests who attended the event were the Mayor of Blackpool, Councillor Norman Hardy and the Mayoress Mrs Barbara Hardy.
Whitegate Health Centre, which is located on the site of the original Blackpool Hospital, is the first of three primary care centres opening in Blackpool over the next few years.
The centre houses the 100th GP-led health centre in the country and contains a wide range of other services, including a state-of-the-art X-ray suite and MRI scanner, a pharmacy, an operating theatre for minor surgical procedures, physiotherapy and Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services.
For more information on the facilities at Whitegate Health Centre please click here.
Whitegate Health Centre also houses a state-of-the-art Dental Education Centre, which will be used by students from the University of Central Lancashire’s School of Dentistry during their practical training in the community. It was opened on Friday 5th February 2010 by Dr Barry Cockcroft, the Chief Dental Officer for England. For more information on the Dental Education Centre and to read the full press release from the official opening please click here.
Click here to see photographs from the official opening of Whitegate Health Centre.
Whitegate Health Centre can be found at:
Whitegate Drive
Blackpool
FY3 9ES
You can contact the Reception at Whitegate Health Centre on 01253 953040.
Sod-Cutting Ceremony
An official Sod-Cutting Ceremony took place at the Whitegate Drive site to mark the momentous occasion. NHS Blackpool Chief Executive Wendy Swift led the proceedings watched by Chairman Tony Shaw and guests including MP Joan Humble, the Mayor of Blackpool, Cllr Robert Wynne, Council Chief Executive Steve Weaver and Council Leader, Cllr Peter Callow.
Peter Forrest and Mike Collier – Directors of Eric Wright Construction, the chosen developers of the site – and Blackpool GP Dr. Raj Luthra and Practice Manager Marie Chambers from Marton Medical Centre were also guests at the ceremony.
