work has started on a pioneering project to take modern day healthcare into the heart of a Bolton community.

Work is well underway to build a new health and community centre for residents of Deane, Derby and Daubhill.

The new primary care resource centre is being built on the site of the former Pikes Lane Junior School in Deane Road.

Once complete it will provide local people with a range of vital health services including three GP practices, a dispensing pharmacist, a health information point, district nurses, health visitors, a learning disabilities team, speech therapists, podiatry services, physiotherapy and audiology services.

The centre will also house a minor injuries suite and a local authority "one stop" shop, offering information on all council services as well as a local base for housing and leisure.

The Health Authority communicable disease control team will also be based at the centre.

The new centre has been designed by award-winning architect Stephen Hodder MBE, and will feature a central walkway to six self-contained units and will open next summer.

The £3 million centre is part of a joint initiative between Bolton Community Healthcare Trust, Wigan and Bolton Health Authority, Bolton Council and the single regeneration budget's 3Ds partnership.

Funding for the scheme has come from all the partner bodies. The NHS Executive is providing £1.7 million, the Single Regeneration Budget for the 3Ds which has promised up to £900,000 and Bolton Community Healthcare Trust which is providing £150,000.

The land for the centre has been donated by Bolton Council and Wigan and Bolton Health Authority has pledged to support the running costs of the centre.

The chief executive of Bolton Community NHS Trust Mr Patrick Wallace, said: "This new development takes our service into the next Millennium in a much more effective way.

"This will be an improved facility which will include working much more purposefully with the local community."

Cllr Guy Harkin of the Single Regeneration Budget for the 3Ds area, said: "The centre will provide a focus for community life in the area and a range of important services which will be easily accessible and designed to serve the local people."

The local community around the new centre is being invited to get actively involved in the project.

A name is needed for the new centre which reflects all the services available within it. Some of the ideas which have already been suggested by the community include: Pikes Lane Health and Community Centre, 3Ds Health and Community Centre and Deane Road Health and Community Centre.

If you have a suggestion for the new name, or you want to support one of the nominations already forwarded, write to Mrs Alice Murphy, Director of Corporate Development, Community Healthcare Bolton NHS Trust, St Peter's House, Silverwell Street, Bolton.

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