A £3.25m medical facility has opened its doors in Barnsley town centre this month, creating capacity for 4,000 extra patients in the area.

The newly built 40,000 sq ft Burleigh Medical Centre combines two existing GP surgeries, Park Grove surgery and the Cope Street Surgery and also incorporates an on-site pharmacy. It has been designed to deliver the highest standard of care in a comfortable, modern and safe environment.

The new site includes an on-site pharmacy, a large capacity car park, and 1,000 sq ft available to let by allied healthcare providers. The partnership is also expecting to take on five new staff over the next year to support the expansion.

Dr Sumanth Chikthimmah, general practitioner at Burleigh Street Medical Centre, said: “Relocating the two sites under one roof means being able to provide improved services and state-of-the-art facilities in a convenient and accessible town-centre location.

This exciting project, which has been many years in the making, will be a huge boost for the people of Barnsley. Many organisations have worked very hard to bring our vision into reality and this centre will be a great place for our patients and staff.”

Master of ceremonies was GP partner Dr. Chris Bridger, who formally invited Chair of NHS Barnsley Clinical Commissioning Group, Dr Nick Balac to cut the ribbon. Dr Balac took time to share his vision for the future of health services in Barnsley, shortly before cutting the ribbon and declaring the health centre open to the public.

Dr Balac said: “The new health centre is spacious, airy, light and welcoming; all the things you want when you’re not feeling so good or worried about something, self or loved ones, supported by friendly faces of staff who can help and you can trust.

“When designing premises such as these they have to be fit for purpose now and future proofed to meet the evolving needs of patients and the demands of our changing NHS. Increasingly health care will be provided outside of hospital in GP settings in the community, bringing care closer to home, and making it more accessible to patients.

“In modern premises and facilities such as these, GP practice, community staff and some hospital staff can be located together. This makes working together easier, allowing staff to build relationships and trust in teams sharing knowledge, skills and expertise. This all helps in improving outcomes for patients in Barnsley.”