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What will LIFT deliver?
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Last modified date:9 January 2006
After years of under-investment, primary care is now benefitting from sustained levels investment and reform. This is helping to improve both the quality of care provided and the environment in which it is delivered.
At the heart of the reform lies a modern, effective and well resourced primary care sector where GPs and other primary care health care profesionals deliver an extended range of services in the community.
Improved choice and access to services is a key constituent of LIFT, ensuring people are treated quickly and conveniently. This will result in better health outcomes. The LIFT programme will deliver an unprecedented level of investment in the primary care infrastructure - new surgeries, clinics, health centres and joint health and social care buildings.
Within the NHS Plan there are clear targets. To help kick-start LIFT £210 million public money has been made available. LIFT represents a sizeable new market and the first tranche of schemes across all 42 sites - now supplemented by eight fourth wave projects (there are 50 NHS LIFT schemes) - represents investment of around £1 billion.
LIFT - Supporting the change in the delivery of health and social care
Practical support to help make healthy choices
East Lancashire LIFT is working with Sport England to include a leisure centre in their new health and social care building in Burnley.
The Chelmsley Wood Centre, part of Birmingham & Solihull LIFT, will provide a community café serving healthy food and sharing information on good diet
The dental teaching cubicles, Walker Health Centre, Newcastle
Dentistry and NHS LIFT
Primary care trusts around the country have reported a shortage of dentists. LIFT has been able to part address the problem through new and innovative ways of designing their services. For example, in Newcastle, the Walker Health Centre not only accommodates community dentistry, it also has 3 teaching chairs for student dentists from the Newcastle Dental Hospital.
Similarly, in the West Midlands, the Oldbury Health Centre, in Sandwell is to part re-locate 6 teaching chairs from the Birmingham Dental Hospital
A wider range of services under one roof
East London LIFT brings GPs, health visitors, dentists, a pharmacy, cardiology clinic, x-ray facilities, pathology services, optometry services and a healthy living café together in a single, one-stop centre.
More than just health care
Newcastle & North Tyne LIFT are working with the city council to co-locate health care services with housing and welfare advice.
New services delivered in new ways
Sandwell LIFT: nurse-led community based diabetes clinics, and services relocated from the Birmingham Dental Hospital.
Health and social care in 21st century facilities
Barnsley LIFT: previously some patients saw their GP in a converted chip shop
Services located closer to home
Colchester LIFT's new building will contain a renal dialysis centre - currently patients have to travel to London.
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