Anticipation rises as work due to start soon on Bracknell Forest Centre for Health
Health services have given an enthusiastic response to news that work is due to start soon on the Bracknell Centre for Health building project.
The plans for the centre were approved earlier in the autumn by members of the Bracknell Forest Council Planning Committee.
The three-storey building, which will be immediately next door to the existing Skimped Hill Health Centre, should open its doors to patients in 2025 and will house a range of services supporting patients in Bracknell and the wider Bracknell Forest area.
It will house GP services provided by Evergreen Practice and Forest Health Group, physical and mental health community services for patients across Bracknell Forest provided by Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, and maternity services for Bracknell Forest patients provided by Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust.
Dr Prashanth Nelli is a GP partner at Evergreen Practice. He said: “This is a really significant step on a long journey towards improving how we provide care to our patient population.
“Moving into the new building and being able to treat people in custom-made medical facilities, which are modern and more spacious, will have such a positive impact on both patients and staff.
“We can’t wait to move in and start using the new centre.”
The project is part of a national drive to boost community-based healthcare services, providing funding to bring services together in the same place. With better local services, the intention is that people can receive care nearer home, reducing the need for them to go to hospital.
Claire Williams, Divisional Director of Community Physical Health at Berkshire Healthcare, said: “This new facility will help us integrate with colleagues from primary care and Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust to provide joined-up pathways for patients. Having a modern, tailor-made building in the heart of Bracknell will improve access for local residents and ensure they get the care they need as easily as possible.”
Erika Townend, Lead for the Frimley Maternity Neonatal Voices Partnership, also welcomed the news, saying: “We are delighted that the Bracknell Forest Centre for Health is going ahead. On average, 950 people book their pregnancies with our Bracknell hub team each year, so this development - alongside our Crowthorne maternity hub – will provide purpose-built facilities for the women who receive their antenatal and postnatal wrap-around care from us.
“The Maternity Neonatal Voices Partnership supported the development and welcomes hearing the service users’ voices for their feedback on all things maternity-related.”
The successful application is also the result of many months of close collaboration between NHS Frimley – leading the project on behalf of the Frimley Health and Care Integrated Care System – and NHS England and Bracknell Forest Council.
Nicola Airey, Director of Places and Communities for NHS Frimley, said: “I would like to thank the many people who have worked so hard to get this project underway, as well as everyone who sent comments to Bracknell Forest Council to support the plans. Your backing has helped us to get to this point.
“It’s exciting to think that with all being well, next year residents of Bracknell Forest will be visiting the new Centre for Health to receive treatment in surroundings that will be a significantly better than what they have been used to.
“This is just one of the ways in which the NHS is constantly exploring ways to improve local health services and we look forward to working with local people and our many partners on this and other initiatives into the future.”
You can find out more about the local health and care system and its work by visiting: fhac-archive.frimley.icb.nhs.uk.