Official opening for new Somerset health centre

The £10.2m Frome Health Centre was built by GPs from Frome Medical Practice and Beckington Family Practice with loans from Barclays.

As well as general practice services provided at the centre include a pharmacy, opticians providing acute eye care services, mental health services for adults and the elderly and a healthy living café.

Frome senior partner Dr Tina Merry said: “We are delighted to see the official opening of the medical centre after many years of planning. We believe this is a unique facility being situated alongside the community Hospital  and combining primary care with both secondary care, community based, complementary and private services under one roof.”

Local providers such as the Royal United Hospital Bath and Shepton Mallet Treatment Centre have moved outpatients clinics to the medical centre whileprivate chiropractic, physiotherapy, plastic surgery, cosmetic and complementary health services are also available in the building.

Julian Kilsby, Barclays healthcare relationship director, added: “Barclays has supported a number of GP schemes across the region recently, demonstrating our appetite within the healthcare sector to support projects which bring real benefits to the local community and local economy. Barclays is committed to using our industry expertise and specialists to support such propositions, which enable medical centres such as this to expand and invest for future prosperity and the welfare of local patients.”