Plans for Integrated Health and Social Care Centre Move Ahead

22 Jul 2005

Improved health and social care facilities along with better car parking are top priorities in the development of an Integrated Health and Social Care Centre for Kirkintilloch.

Earlier this year Kirkintilloch’s Initiative (KI) lodged an outline planning application that will see the existing Townhead clinic replaced with a new improved centre combining local health and social care services under one roof. The outline plans will also improve car parking and access arrangements.

KI has been working closely with local landowners around the Townhead clinic to identify key priorities for the development of the site and to add more detail to the plans.

Colin Smith, Project Manager of KI, said:
“We are now well underway with the planning process and are speaking to all the relevant landowners to take the plans to the next level. Improvements to the existing car parking arrangements have been a key concern of local residents and we are working on plans to address this.

“It is hoped that detailed designs for the new centre will be available by late autumn to enable a detailed planning application to be considered by the council.”

Terry Findlay, General Manager for Primary Care, NHS Greater Glasgow said: “The development of a new integrated health and social care centre for Kirkintilloch is part of wider plans to improve community health services and facilities across Greater Glasgow.

He added: “The new centre will provide a wide range of local health and social care services in a modern, purpose-built facility designed to meet the needs of service users and staff. Local health services will continue to be provided from the existing Townhead clinic until the new centre is completed in 2007.”

The new centre will provide:
• Primary and Community Health Care Services (such as district nursing, health visiting, podiatry, physiotherapy, community dentistry, family planning and speech and language therapy)
• A GP practice (Doctors Buchanan, Melrose and Murphy have moved to temporary accommodation at Rochdale Place and will relocate to the new integrated centre when it is completed)
• Mental Health and Addiction Services
• Social Care Services