New Health and Wellbeing Centre Opens

The new centre will house the Knoll Medical Practice and a range of other community clinics in modern and fit for-purpose premises in the heart of Orpington town centre. It will enable more patients to avoid going to hospital for routine treatment.

Dr Andrew Parson, Clinical Chair of NHS Bromley Clinical Commissioning Group said, “We are delighted to announce the opening of the Orpington Health and Wellbeing Centre. We have worked long and hard with our partners, patients and staff to make sure that we can offer Orpington residents high quality services from a modern and fit for purpose building. Patients have told us they want more care delivered from local community facilities and avoid having to go into hospital unless they really need to. The new centre will certainly help us achieve this”.

As well as providing a new home for the Knoll Medical Practice, the Orpington Health and Wellbeing Centre, in Brunswick Square Orpington, will provide patients with a range of community services including outpatient clinics, minor surgery, community clinics and diagnostics. A brand new MRI scanner will be installed in the centre in February 2020.

The construction of the building was managed by NHS Property Services. Catherine Webster, Senior Construction Manager said, “We are very pleased to have provided the local community with a new home for primary care, out-patient and community services in the centre of Orpington, to meet the rising demand and ease pressure on surrounding hospitals. We will also be providing a full range of facilities management services to ensure patients continue to be seen in a safe and compliant environment.”

Dr Ruchira Paranjape, one of the GP partners at Knoll Medical Practice said, “We are so excited to move into the new Orpington Health and Wellbeing Centre. Our staff and patients are set to benefit from having modern and fit-for-purpose premises that will enable us to develop our services further”.

Patients and other partners have been instrumental in developing the Orpington centre. David Hughes, a resident from Bromley said, “I was able to see the drawings and plans for the building and give my views. I’m delighted that it is now opening and will provide me, my family and all other residents of Orpington with a range of health and wellbeing services on our doorstep."

The Orpington Health and Wellbeing Centre is part of NHS Property Services' exciting new service, NHS Open Space, which allows customers to hire both clinical and non-clinical space as and when they need it, on an hourly or daily basis. This provides greater flexibility and choice, while making much more efficient use of the estate and minimising vacant or underused space has been designed to be an inclusive space for the local community.

Within the new centre, there are some state of the art spaces that are available to book for use by community groups and physical or mental health service providers. People interested in using the space will be able to either visit the centre or book directly at openspace.nhs.uk in the coming weeks.