£1.4m health village kick’s off
The former Ashfield Community Hospital will be replaced by a £1.4 million plan to provide a range of community health, advice and wellbeing services under one roof.
The project will be driven by the NHS Mansfield and Ashfield Clinical Commissioning Group.
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Hide AdBoth the hospital’s reception area and the former wards will be refurbished, and the centre will provide diagnostic and outpatient services, dementia care, and more.
It will be home to Ashfield Voluntary Action, Citizens Advice Bureau, and will become a base for family planning and pain management services, which will be delivered by Sherwood Forest Hospitals.
There will be a separate area for young people to seek information about sexual health, and private consultation rooms will allow people to speak to health professionals for advice about healthy living.
The centre will also have bookable space that can be used to provide exercise and fitness sessions by local groups, and the existing restaurant will become a community café that will provide a range of nutritious and healthy meals for visitors.
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Hide AdDr Hilary Lovelock, GP and clinical lead for the project said: “People’s health is linked to their circumstances. By bringing services such as money and debt advice under the same roof as services that keep you healthy and well, we can start to improve people’s overall wellbeing not just one part of it. This centre will bring together existing services, already provided elsewhere to provide a joined up and integrated service for local people. It forms part of the Self Care Strategy and the NHS England Five Year Forward plan of self-management, preventing ill health, and giving people the power and independence to stay well for longer – absolutely vital to a sustainable NHS.”