Kirkintilloch’s Integrated Health and Social Care Centre Gets Green Light

28 Feb 2008

The drive to improve the health and wellbeing of residents in Kirkintilloch took another major step forward after planning permission was granted for a new Integrated Care Centre in Kirkintilloch last month.

The centre is one of the flagship projects of Kirkintilloch’s Initiative (KI), a partnership between East Dunbartonshire Council and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. It is just one of many projects KI intends to deliver as part of a £56 million regeneration programme for the town.

Located at the former Woodhead House at Industry Street, the centre will replace the existing Townhead clinic. The new improved centre will provide a wide range of local health and social care services under one roof, including: health visiting, district nursing, GP services, social work , physiotherapy, home care, occupational therapy, addiction services and mental health services.

This project is jointly managed by East Dunbartonshire Council and the Community Health Partnership NHS. There is a steering group overseeing the work of the project which is co-chaired by Annemargaret Black, Senior Manager within the Community Health Partnership and Mike Moran, Senior Manager of Community Care with the Council.

Annemargaret Black, Senior Manager within the Community Health Partnership and chair of the KICC steering group said:
“It’s an exciting time as we gear up to starting construction. The new centre will really help transform health and social care for the people of Kirkintilloch, making services easily accessible in the one place. This project is a great example of joint working between the Council and the NHS to promote healthy living.”

Preparation work is well underway. Engineering tests have been carried out to check ground conditions, the building layout has been agreed, public utilities have been diverted and the site is currently being cleared to allow Barr Ltd to begin construction work later in the Spring.

Duncan Hamilton, Project Director for KI explained:
“At the moment we’re just working to make the site ready for the builders to eventually move on. No actual construction work will start just yet and all existing health services in the town will continue to operate as normal from their existing base.”

Work on the new centre is expected to be finished by Autumn 2009. New equipment will then be installed to make the centre fully operational.

The new centre will also develop strong links with the new leisure centre. There will be a lit walk way between the two buildings and there are plans to deliver some health services within the leisure centre, including a number of therapeutic groups.

There will also be a focus on creating a healthy living centre for staff and a number of initiatives will be undertaken to promote health and well being including plans for the staff canteen to provide healthy food.

Further information on the Kirkintilloch Integrated Care Centre can be accessed on www.k-I.org.uk

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