Work will start on site at the beginning of May on a new integrated health and social care centre on the Lawn Industrial Estate in Rhymney.
The development confirms the commitment given to the local population during public consultation on Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr, the new local general hospital in Ystrad Mynach and is designed to address the particular needs of communities in the North of Caerphilly County Borough.
MedicX, the UK healthcare property investor and developer was appointed in 2009 to design and build the centre and the company has worked closely with Aneurin Bevan Health Board, Caerphilly County Borough Council, the Welsh Government and local GPs to design a modern purpose built health and social care facility.
A Community Forum, made up of local residents, voluntary organisations, councillors and health and social care professionals, has also been involved in the planning, ensuring a local say on the facilities offered.
Scheduled to open in the summer of 2013, the centre will complement the range of healthcare services provided in Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr.
Services planned for the centre include 2 GP practices, a dental practice, optometry suite and social services day opportunities. In addition, the centre will act as a base for health and social care staff working in the North of the borough who provide care to a wide range of clients including children, older people, and people receiving mental health support. The centre will also have 12 in-patient beds, 2 of which will be designated for palliative care.
Sian Martin (Caerphilly Locality Director) said that the new centre would bring a number of different services together in one building. “This is effectively a satellite of the new hospital and the services to be provided have been debated and agreed through the Community Forum, by the people that will ultimately be using them. It’s an exciting time for healthcare in Caerphilly County Borough as we are working to expand the range of treatment and care services available locally through the building of modern facilities such as the new hospital and now the resource centre for the North,” she said.
Albert Heaney, Corporate Director – Social Services at Caerphilly County Borough Council said, “The centre will enhance existing community services capacity and bring together a number of health and social care teams who will provide services in the community and from the centre itself. I look forward to seeing this impressive facility come to fruition over the coming months as work progresses”.
Ashley Heath (Healthcare Property Director – MedicX) said, ‘modern healthcare facilities, that can be delivered within budget and provide value for money, are essential for local communities. We are confident this fantastic new centre will transform the patient experience.
We are delighted to be developing this state of the art health and social care centre in Rhymney, in partnership with Aneurin Bevan Health Board, Caerphilly County Borough Council, the Welsh Government and the local GPs and we hope everyone will be delighted with what will eventually be achieved.’
Partners and MedicX are keen to keep in close contact with the community in the North and are planning to hold further meetings of the Community Forum as the project progresses.
For further information on this development or to become a member of the Forum, please contact Kathryn Wall (Project Officer) on 01495 241275 or by email at [email protected].
