Work will begin on a new medical centre for Carlisle this month.
The new centre, on Eastern Way, will become the home of Carlisle Healthcare and is a carbon neutral building.
A sod cutting ceremony is due to be held today and Joan Irwin, who has worked for Carlisle Healthcare – and its previous practices – for 52 years – will officially break ground ahead of work starting later this month.
Carlisle Healthcare was created in 2016 when three practices merged – Brunswick House, North Carlisle and St Paul’s. It now serves almost 37,000 patients.
Dr Chris Corrigan, premises lead GP for Carlisle Healthcare, said: “We have been working hard to achieve this since 2015.
“It has been difficult to secure funding within a challenged health economy.
“We are very excited about the possibilities this new centre will offer.
“We currently operate out of 5 sites, including outdated buildings with poor access and lack of parking.
“This new facility will mean we can deliver care from purpose-built surgeries.”
Carlisle Healthcare will eventually work from:
- St Paul’s Medical Centre in the city centre, next to the main bus station
- Eden Street in the heart of north Carlisle
- The new facility in South Carlisle – on Eastern Way
When the new building opens, Brunswick House in the city centre, Arnside House and the small branch surgery on Eastern Way in Harraby will close.
Dr Corrigan said: “The greatest proportion of our patients most in need of healthcare live in and near this area.
“We want this facility to be right at the heart of their community.
“This new building is about a lot more than just bricks and mortar and extra parking.
“It has been designed to offer a far superior level of comfort.
“It will also enable us to work in new ways. We are now often receiving more than 800 requests for help every day from our patients.”
Carlisle Healthcare also plans to ensure the building will have the facilities to support it to become a teaching hub to train the staff to deliver the service into the future.
Dr Corrigan added: “Just as Joan has provided devoted service to our patients for the last 52 years, we hope this facility will do the same for the next 52 years!
“It is recognition of her years of devoted service- that we asked Joan to cut the sod today.”
The development has been supported by NHS North Cumbria CCG, NHS England and Improvement and United Healthcare Developments.
