LIFT - latest news

Working together to build a healthy Sheffield:

Work will begin this month on building four new medical centres, creating one-stop shops for local health and community services in, Bluebell (Upper Wincobank), Darnall, Foxhill and Norfolk Park

The schemes have been commissioned by NHS Sheffield and will be delivered by Community 1st Sheffield, with all four combining a range of medical services, including GP and nursing services, minor surgery facilities and pharmacies whilst also providing a hub for the local community.

A partnership between NHS Sheffield, Sheffield City Council and Community 1st Sheffield, has ensured that the most appropriate sites were selected for these developments and that they will support investments already made to improve local housing, parks and other facilities for the communities involved. 

Ian Atkinson, Chief Operating Officer at NHS Sheffield said:

“These plans have been developed with local GPs, partners and community groups and I am pleased to announce that work will now begin on providing the new centres which, in partnership with Community 1st, will provide modern and high quality services to patients and the local communities. The project is a positive step towards continuing to improve the health of Sheffield by creating sustainable facilities for the future of healthcare.”

Building work will begin on the sites next month with all four projects due to be completed by January 2013.

Neil Charlesworth, General Manager from Community 1st Sheffield said:

“Community 1st is proud to be working with our local partners to deliver these important facilities. It is exciting to see these much needed developments get underway and provide local people with access to high quality health services in innovative new buildings.”

Welcoming the development is Councillor Mary Lea, who added:

“These proposals are very welcome and will hopefully help the broader regeneration of these areas. The local community and local councillors want these proposals to help improve the health and wellbeing of residents in these areas and want to be involved in how we make these improvements. In some of these areas, existing wellbeing projects will move to the new buildings and they will work with health staff and local people to bring about improvements in health for the local community.”

Progress of the buildings will be published here and also www.community1stsheffield.co.uk

How the buildings will look:

Top to bottom - Bluebell, Darnall, Foxhill and Norfolk Park

Cutting the first sod!

Norfolk Park:

Tony Pedder, Chairman of NHS Sheffield, local MP Meg Munn and representatives from Community 1st Sheffield took to their hard hats and spades for a turf cutting ceremony in Norfolk Park.

The ceremony which took place on Friday 2nd December, marked the beginning of building work on one of the new medical centres being built as part of the LIFT scheme on Beldon Road, Norfolk Park.

Meg Munn, MP for Sheffield Heeley, said:

“I am delighted to see building work begin on the new medical centre. The regeneration of Norfolk Park is now nearly complete and it’s a first class place to live. A new health centre will mean local people can benefit from a wide range of modern facilities on their doorstep in the same way as residents in other parts of Sheffield.”

Darnall:

Speaking at the Darnall site on Thursday 22ns December, Sheffield South East MP Clive Betts, said:

“I am very pleased that the scheme is finally going ahead after a long campaign fought by the local community and myself. I would like to thank NHS Sheffield for the hard work they have put into the project and the excellent consultation work they have done with the local community. This will greatly improve the service local GP’s can provide in Darnall.”

Sod cutting ceremonies took place in Bluebell, Upper Wincobank and Foxhill in January to celebrate the building of two new patient-centred medical centres which will combine a range of facilities at the heart of the local community.

Speaking at the sod cutting of the second of the centres, in his Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough constituency, MP David Blunkett said:

“Thanks to the local GPs, the wider community and the cooperation between myself and NHS Sheffield, we are at last able to celebrate the forthcoming improvements. I know that local people will benefit in all sorts of ways as well as seeing the recognition that their healthcare really matters and that, despite the austerity, we can still fight for what is right in the north of Sheffield.”

Bluebell:

Foxhill: