Health services could come to North Yorkshire high streets under new plans
Mayor David Skaith commissions study to explore bringing diagnostic centres to the region
Healthcare services could soon become a feature of high streets across York and North Yorkshire under new plans being explored by the region’s mayor.
David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, has commissioned a detailed study to understand how a ‘health on the high street’ initiative could work in the region.
The project seeks to replicate the impact of a community diagnostic centre in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, which has brought key medical services such as blood tests, ultrasounds and x-rays into the heart of the town.
Since opening in April 2022, the Barnsley centre has reported reductions of 24% in missed appointments and a 22% increase in attendance for mammograms. Additionally, it boosted local businesses by attracting an extra 55,000 visits to the town centre annually.
Turning high streets into hubs for communities
Speaking about the proposal, Skaith said:
“Bringing tests, screenings and scans closer to where people live can make it much easier for them to get the care they need.
“We’ve already seen in South Yorkshire that putting health services on the high street works - it supports local shops, brings more people into town centres, and helps take pressure off hospitals.
“It’s about turning our high streets into places people can rely on, where support is easy to find and communities feel better.”
In early discussions, data has been gathered on current and projected capacity across general and specialist services within NHS trusts in York and North Yorkshire.
The Combined Authority, working with local authorities, integrated care boards, NHS trusts and health partnerships, will use this data to identify towns and cities where investment in high street healthcare facilities would create the greatest benefits.
More details on potential locations are expected to be drawn up in the next project phase.