New Neighbourhood Health Centre to be established in Blackpool
It's part of the Government’s 10 Year Health Plan.
A new Neighbourhood Health Centre is to be established in Blackpool as part of the Government’s 10 Year Health Plan.
This new amenity will be a one-stop shop for care, open at least 12 hours a day, six days a week, and staffed by a team of doctors, nurses, mental health professionals, social workers, and pharmacists.
The plans emerged as it was confirmed that Blackpool is one of the few areas to be named in the scheme and is recognised as having the “lowest healthy life expectancy in England”.
The town is to be among the first areas to benefit from a major overhaul of the NHS, as the Government launched its ambitious Health Plan to bring care closer to people’s homes and end health inequalities across the country.
The plan introduces a new Neighbourhood Health Service as part of the strategy.
Evidence from pilots in Derby shows that neighbourhood teams led to 2,300 fewer ambulance callouts and 1,400 fewer short hospital stays among older people in just one year.
Every £100 spent on community care could deliver £131 in hospital savings, making the system more sustainable for the long term, the Government says.
Chris Webb, MP for Blackpool South, said:
“Blackpool has some of the most entrenched health inequalities in the country. This plan is a clear statement of intent to put that right. A new Neighbourhood Health Centre will mean better, faster, local care – and a system that works for our community. I’m proud that this Government is prioritising towns like ours and backing prevention, not just cure.”
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting, who visited Blackpool as part of the big launch last week, said:
“Our 10-year plan will shift the focus of the NHS away from hospitals and into the community – with more care delivered closer to people’s homes. We will end the 8am scramble for GP appointments, cut waiting lists and provide more personalised care, backed by modern technology.”