New health centre marks major milestone for Devizes and surrounding area

A new state-of-the-art health centre has officially opened in Devizes, soon after the doors first opened to patients.

The new facility, which was made possible following an £11 million investment from the NHS, is one of the region’s first integrated care centres.

This means that GP appointments, along with other health services, such as outpatient clinics, community care and mental health support, can be provided under one roof. 

The modern facility, delivered by NHS Property Services, is also leading the field in sustainable design. The centre is one of the NHS’ first net zero buildings with an energy EPC rating of A+, which utilises green technology, such as heat pumps and solar panels, to generate electricity and heat to serve the building.

Sue Harriman, Chief Executive Officer, Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board said: “I am delighted that the new health centre in Devizes is now open and I would like to pass on my thanks to everyone involved in the delivery of this project.

“The new centre will provide services to the growing local population, as well as offering enhanced services for our community. 

“We know that being able to offer a range of services under one roof is really important, and this will deliver a number of health benefits to our population.”

The centre will also be a hub for same and next-day care, meaning local people will find it easier to access care quickly and closer to home.

Patients of Lansdowne Surgery, Market Lavington Surgery, St James Surgery and Southbroom Surgery can be referred to the new urgent care service within the centre.

Devizes Health Centre will also be the new home for the community services that were previously housed at the nearby Devizes Community Hospital.

Alongside these, teams from the Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust and Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust will provide community care and mental health support to local people from the new centre.

A variety of different services, including blood testing and physiotherapy, will also be based at the site.

Dr Richard Sandford-Hill, GP Partner of Market Lavington Surgery, said: “We’re absolutely delighted that the new Devizes Health Centre has now opened its doors to patients.

“This state-of-the-art building will be the flagship location for local health care, and the people of Devizes should feel very proud to have such an excellent facility right on their doorstep, which will inevitably be the envy of towns and cities up and down the country.”

Steve Barclay MP, Health and Social Care Secretary, said: “The opening of this new state-of-the-art health centre will support Devizes’ growing population and help up to 50,000 patients per year continue to access the right care when they need it.  

“Backed by £11 million of government funding and using the latest green technology, this centre will bring multiple services under one roof – from GP appointments and blood tests to mental health services – making care more convenient for patients and saving the taxpayer money on energy bills.

“This is part of our commitment to ensure NHS services are sustainable for the future and are built with patients at the centre, as well as helping tackle the Covid backlogs.”

Danny Kruger, MP for Devizes, said: “I’m thrilled Devizes’ new health centre has officially opened to serve patients in the community.

“I have been campaigning for this new centre since becoming MP, as did my predecessor before me, and this is a great success for all those who have worked on delivering the project.

“This centre will make a real difference to NHS services locally and improve the health offering for patients in and around Devizes, and I am so pleased to see it become a reality.”

For more information on the Devizes Health Centre, including a virtual tour and an extensive list of frequently asked questions, visit www.bsw.icb.nhs.uk/news-and-events/integrated-care-centres/devizes-health-centre.