Funding announced for new health and wellbeing village
Poster information
Posted on: Monday 12 October 2020
Funding from the Welsh Government has been announced for a new £23m integrated health and wellbeing village in Bridgend, which will bring healthcare services to the centre of the community.
A new £10.7m health centre will be built on the site of the former council offices and magistrates court as part of the Sunnyside Health and Wellness Village project.
Due to be built next spring, the wellness village will encompass general needs and supported housing as well as the healthcare centre and has been supported by funding of £18m from the Welsh Government.
It will become home to the Bridgend Group Practice, as well as bringing together a range of community services promoting physical and mental health, including a wide range of therapy, mental health, sexual health, community dental and pharmacy services.
The building will also allow space for multi-disciplinary teams and third sector organisations, facilitating a joint, partnership approach to providing health and wellbeing services.
Designed to deliver care closer to home, the health and wellbeing village will provide 59 affordable homes, including 6 supported homes for those who have physical as well as learning disabilities and 10 flats to help people transition from care or supported accommodation. There will also be dedicated room for third sector and outreach services to use.
Planning permission for the development was granted subject to conditions in March 2019.
Announcing the funding on Saturday, October 10, the Minister for Mental Health, Wellbeing and the Welsh Language, Eluned Morgan said: “The coronavirus pandemic has shone a light on the importance of mental health and wellbeing.
“The new health and wellbeing village in Bridgend will provide a major boost to community care and wellbeing by accommodating a wide range of health and wellbeing resources, including support for frail and older people, vulnerable young people and people with learning difficulties. This should avoid unnecessary admissions to hospital or residential care and delays when someone is due to be discharged from care.
“This project has been a true example of collaboration between the local health board, Bridgend County Borough Council and Linc Cymru to deliver a fit for purpose multi-faceted centre to provide wrap around support for some of our most vulnerable people.”
The new health centre will replace both Ashfield Surgery and Newcastle Surgery, bringing improved facilities to over 15,000 patients in the area.
The project is receiving £10.7m from the NHS Wales Capital Programme, £6.6m from Social Housing Grant and the Housing Finance Grant, £480,000 from the Integrated Care Fund capital programme and £315,000 Transforming Towns’ Green Infrastructure Funding, alongside private finance.
The Minister for Housing and Local Government Julie James said: “Recent months have reminded us all of the fundamental importance of good-quality affordable housing and working collaboratively to support people’s health and wellbeing. This scheme will deliver a new and improved model of primary care that has flexible, accommodation led solutions at its heart.
“This village will not only improve access to a range of services and bring them together, but reduce demands for urgent care by allowing more conditions to be treated in a community setting and closer to home.”