A NEW hub which is one of the first of its kind in the country has opened its doors in Warrington.
The multi-million-pound Living Well Hub will be a ‘game changer’ for residents and it is a facility that the town is ‘really in need of’, say those behind the hub.
It is designed to help people with their health and wellbeing needs, while reducing inequalities, and supporting town centre regeneration.
And it has resulted in ‘true collaboration, with 25 organisations and more than 350 staff set to provide a wide range of NHS and non-clinical services under one roof on Horsemarket Street.
Thousands of people are expected to use the building over the next 12 months, with spaces shared by teams from Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (WHH), Warrington Borough Council, Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, and support from voluntary and charitable sector partners.
Professor Colin Scales, CEO of Bridgewater Community Healthcare, said: “This is a really important day for the town and it is a proud moment for us within health and social care.
“It has taken a huge amount of effort to reach this point of opening and the facility is something that the town is really in need of.
“There are not many facilities that I am aware of like this in the country, so I think this is a real moment for the town.
“It is a huge achievement and I really think we have good reason to be excited, I have genuine optimism.”
On Friday, a ribbon cutting ceremony was held to mark the Town Deal-funded hub’s official opening after almost four years of planning and work.
Speaking to guests, Professor Simon Constable, chief executive of WHH, said: “It’s fantastic to see so many organisations represented here today from across Warrington. The Living Well Hub has been a real team effort since its conception four years ago, and is proof that by working together we can achieve great things together, for the benefit of the town.
“Some of the services on offer here at the hub would previously only have been delivered in a hospital setting, however it’s really important that we’re now able to deliver them in the town centre, providing better access for those who need the most support.
“By doing so we can tackle health inequalities, improve patient outcomes, and reduce the pressure on acute hospital services, while also helping to create jobs and support the regeneration of the town centre.”
The hub is set across three floors. The ground floor is a community-led space with a café area where Warrington residents can drop in to discuss any issues that may be affecting their health and wellbeing. NHS and non-clinical services will be delivered on the first floor, with several consultation and clinical rooms for use, while the second floor will predominantly be for staff use.
Speaking about the main idea behind the hub, Steve Bennett, head of strategy and partnerships at WHH, said: “We started off with an idea of helping people.
“We wanted to be better at helping people to navigate the system and to find the services they need."
Caroline Lane, strategic project manager at WHH, added: “It has now evolved into a one-stop shop.
“People can come to the hub for a booked appointment that they might have had in the hospital, but while they are here, they can access lots of other services.
“We hope we have created something that is a warm and welcoming space for people to drop in and seek information and guidance for their physical, mental health, and wellbeing.”
At the Living Well Hub, there will be a particular emphasis on providing women’s health services and services for children, families and older people.
Maternity (pre and post natal), dementia, mental health, weight management, cardiac rehab and health visitor clinics are among the services being provided, with support from third party partners including Macmillan, Warrington Disability Partnership, LiveWire, Home Start, and other voluntary organisations offering a mix of booked appointments and drop-in support during the week.
The Living Well Hub is specifically aimed at addressing health inequalities in Warrington, where there is a 10-year difference in life expectancy between the most and least deprived members of the community.
It is part of the borough-wide Living Well programme, which aims to connect people, communities and services to enable residents to live healthy, fulfilling lives and take greater control over their own health, wellbeing and resilience.
Cllr Maureen McLaughlin, cabinet member for public health and wellbeing, said: “This is a unique model, there is not anything like this anywhere else that we know about with all partnerships coming together.
“The hub is not a hospital setting, or a council setting, or even a clinical setting. It is a warm and welcoming environment.
“It is about supporting people to get that extra help they need to live a healthier and happier life.”
Cllr Paul Warburton, cabinet Member for statutory health and adult social care, added: “This is a very exciting facility in a number of ways.
"Just by being here, you will be connected to various services.
"There have been so many partners that have supported this and there is a great belief that the hub really will make a difference.”
The hub will be open to members of the public from Wednesday, with initial opening hours of 9am to 5pm weekdays, and until 8pm on Mondays and Wednesdays.
For more information about the services on offer, visit warrington.gov.uk/living-well-hub
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