£4m health centre opens after new funding deal

A £4m purpose-built medical centre has been built in Sutton Coldfield and the practice secured a new funding deal.

The Oaks Medical Practice has opened the 1,000m²  clinic in Shady Lane. The centre includes a traditional GP surgery plus specialist healthcare services such as a pharmacy. It will also act as a teaching and training centre for Birmingham University.
 
The centre will benefit from the latest technological advances including a ‘pod’ which measures a patient’s blood pressure, weight, and other key information prior to their appointment with the doctor.

In addition, the centre will also offer patients minor ops surgery and other medical services negating the need for a visit to hospital.
 
The practice currently has three surgeries in Kings Road, Old Oscott and Streetly. Combined, the practice serves 11,000 patients but the new centre will enable the seven GPs to extend this to 18,000. The practice is also anticipating increasing staff numbers by 10 in the coming months.
 
Neil Davies, practice manager, said: “We are very proud of what has been achieved which will offer an enhanced level of healthcare to the local community. This is not a PFI project and has been delivered at a lower cost, saving the NHS around 30%.

“Importantly it has been delivered on budget and on time and we look forward to welcoming new patients to the centre.”
 
Funding for the project was provided by Barclays.

Mark Mumford, Relationship Director for the bank, said: “The management team at The Oaks Medical Practice have developed a fantastic healthcare facility which is going to be hugely beneficial to the local community.

“I have watched the project develop from the initial conception to the finished centre and glad that we have been able to support from a financial perspective. Importantly, businesses from this region have been used to support both the construction and the future maintenance of the centre.”