A MAJOR new £24.7million health and social care centre for Airdrie - which will be one of the largest in the UK - has been given the green light. The Scottish Executive has given approval to the centre which will be the biggest in Lanarkshire. Work on the Graham Street site is planned for completion in December 2009. The new development will provide convenient access to a wide range of health and social work services. It will include more consultation and treatment rooms to increase the range and volume of services that are available in the community. NHS Lanarkshire, which is taking forward the centre in partnership with North Lanarkshire Council, received approval from the Scottish Executive for the development’s outline business case recently. The purpose-built centre is expected to accommodate social work teams, 10 GP surgeries and a wide range of health services including: podiatry, speech and language therapy; child immunisation and surveillance; physiotherapy; dietetics; breastfeeding support; well woman clinic; family planning; antenatal; community mental health team; psychology; counselling; community dental service; paediatric occupational health; audiology; enuresis and continence; parentcraft; leg ulcer clinic; maternity assessment; learning disabilities service; smoking cessation; health promotion; public health team and youth health and EVA (ending violence and abuse) Project. Colin Sloey, North Lanarkshire Community Health Partnership director, said: “We are delighted to have received the Scottish Executive’s approval to move ahead with our proposals for the Airdrie Resource Centre. “This is a major new development for health and social care in Airdrie, which will offer more services in high-quality, modern surroundings. It is a key part of our strategy, through the £300m A Picture of Health programme, to ensure that more services are provided in convenient community-based locations as an alternative to acute hospitals. “The new centre will provide easy access to health and social work services under one roof. People will also benefit from the increased opportunity for health and social work teams to work closely together to create a seamless service.” NHS Lanarkshire is currently developing a full business case for the centre. Local GPs and health staff are also working with architects to ensure the building provides a facility tailored to the needs of the people of Airdrie. Duncan Mackay, head of Social Work Development, North Lanarkshire Council, said: “The council works in partnership with NHS Lanarkshire to deliver integrated health and care services for residents. The new centre in Airdrie will be a practical example of this partnership approach, bringing together a range of services under the one roof and making it easier for people in Airdrie to access all the support they need. We are pleased that the Scottish Executive has given its approval for this innovative project.” The Airdrie Resource Centre will replace Airdrie Health Centre, Adam Avenue Clinic and a small number of GP surgeries located in private premises. NHS Lanarkshire aims to complete the full business case, which will go to the Scottish Executive in the summer of this year. A planning application will also be submitted to North Lanarkshire Council. It is intended that this would allow work to begin on site later this year. Detailed project plans are in place and will be led by a project team with a project manager working very closely with GP practices, local authority colleagues and other clinical professionals such as health visitors and physiotherapists. | 
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