Excitement building as work is completed on £2.2 million surgery

Patients are a major step closer to receiving healthcare in a £2.2million new surgery in Lincolnshire after developers handed over the keys to the NHS.

Owner NHS Property Services took possession of Richmond Medical Centre, in North Hykeham, on Friday, 6 October, after Lindum Group completed construction work on the state-of-the-art building.

Richmond Medical Practice is now moving into the building ready to welcome the first patients on 16 October 2017, with appointments continuing at the practice’s present site in the meantime.

The practice’s new home will be almost three times the size of the nearby building it presently operates from and its 10,300 patients will benefit from a midwifery room, larger waiting room, purpose-built consultant areas and improved access for disabled people.

Dianne Taylor, practice manager at Richmond Medical Practice, said: “It’s been great to watch the new facility taking shape and we’re very excited about moving in.

“The project has been a long time coming and will give us the space we need. Our current building was originally designed for 3,500 patients so we have certainly outgrown it!”

The two-storey building has photo-voltaic cells on its roof to help off-set energy costs.

Paul Jones, Principal Construction Manager at NHS Property Services, which funded the development, said: “It’s fantastic to receive the keys to this superb new facility, which is further evidence of our work to ensure the NHS operates from modern, fit-for-purpose buildings.

“I’d like to thank local people for their understanding during the construction phase – we hope they agree it has been worth it and we know the new building will make a real difference to local patient care.

“We’d also like to thank our NHS and developer partners for their hard work in creating this excellent facility.”

The foundations and structure of the building has been designed so it can be expanded in the future, if needed.

Sarah-Jane Mills, Chief Operating Officer at NHS Lincolnshire West CCG, which commissions local GP services, said: “We’re very pleased that NHS Property Services has delivered this purpose-built facility that will offer thousands of patients with more choice and care closer to home.

“This facility supports our commitment to providing good access to high quality primary care.”

Richard Shaw, Contracts Manager at Lindum Group, added: “We’re very proud to have successfully delivered this eagerly anticipated project for NHS Property Services and are confident it will be a fine addition to healthcare provision in the area.”