Website of the Department of Health

Alan Johnson opens first GP health centre

A new centre in Bradford will see patients 8am-8pm, seven days a week

The first fully operational new GP health centre in England was officially opened in Bradford today by Health Secretary Alan Johnson. The Hillside Bridge Health Care Centre is one of 152 new GP health centres opening across England that will see patients from 8am to 8pm, seven days a week, as part of a Government programme to increase access to family doctor services.

Any member of the public will be able to use the additional services provided by these health centres, while staying registered with their local family doctor. The centres will provide a minimum of 2.6 million extra GP appointments a year. Patients can also choose to register with the health centre if they wish to do so and will receive the same high quality services they would receive at any GP practice. As well as increasing access to GP services the health centres will provide patients with greater choice, have a strong focus on promoting health and on reducing health inequalities, particularly for hard-to-reach groups.

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