Exciting news at Millennium Centre (From Warrington Guardian)

Exciting news at Millennium Centre

WORK is set to start on the next phase of the multi million pound Millennium Centre development aimed at giving the people of St Helens a first class health and welfare facility in the heart of the town centre.

Designed to create a one stop health, social and voluntary care centre in an easy to reach location, the development represents a commitment to partnership working between St Helens Primary Care Trust, St Helens Council, Millennium Centre Limited and the voluntary sector.

When complete the three storey development, situated on the existing Millennium Centre site will incorporate on the ground floor the Minor Injuries Unit, currently situated at St Helens Hospital, a state of the art X-ray facility and Millennium Centre offices.

Of the first floor there will be an extension to the existing outpatient services and a facility for the visually impaired. The second floor will accommodate the Citizens Advice and Welfare Rights Bureau, a Housing Advice Bureau and Age Concern. There will also be designated car parking facilities for patients.

Phase III of the Millennium Centre development has mainly been funded by Central Government - a total cost of £4.2 million - has been released to ensure the new facility will be of the highest standard and a contribution by the Local Authority will fund the whole of the third floor.

The land is owned by Millennium Centre Limited, a registered charity that is working in close partnership with all organisations, to ensure the completed development, meets the needs of the St Helens community.

Work is expected to start in the next four - six weeks and is set for completion by the end of March next year.

"St Helens Primary Care Trust is delighted to hear work is about to start on this very exciting development that will bring untold benefits to the people of the town.

"We already have an excellent nurse-led Walk In Centre that is widely used by the people of St Helens. This new development will incorporate that service and provide a wide range of health, social, welfare and voluntary services, all under the one roof.

"I believe this development represents a real commitment to partnership working and feel very proud to be one of the partners involved", said Mrs Nora Giubertoni, Chair of St Helens Primary Care Trust.

Cllr Marie Rimmer, Leader of St Helens Council, said: "From day one the Council has been actively involved in the development of this important town centre facility. I was delighted that we were able to secure additional funding to bring advice services together in a central, easy to reach location for the benefit of local people".

Tony Richards, Millennium Centre Executive Chairman, said: "The magnitude of this scheme in terms of originality, appropriateness, local commitment and partnership working is unrivalled. It aims to provide a central and accessible facility in which key voluntary organisations are associated with the promotion of health and social welfare for local people and they are accommodated alongside statutory and independent services".

Shaun Woodward MP, said: "St Helens PCT is to be congratulated. After decades of neglect the NHS is moving forward. The NHS priorities should be the public's priorities, St Helens PCT is helping to deliver those priorities".