Speaking on the site of the Shankill Centre, Mr McGimpsey said: “These centres are the last in a series of seven health and wellbeing centres built throughout Belfast. They will provide the people of this area with a “one-stop shop” for care treatment.
“The Shankill Wellbeing and Treatment Centre will bring together services which are currently operating across 11 different facilities and are no longer fit for purpose.”
“The construction of this purpose-built facility will improve efficiencies and contribute towards the highest quality patient care. As well as providing a wide range of services such as physiotherapy, district nursing, family and child care services, the Shankill Centre will also have space which the community and voluntary groups can use.”
The Minister also travelled to the Andersonstown Road to see construction of the new Beech Hall Health and Well Being Centre. Speaking at the site, he said: “The Beech Hall Centre will provide a range of services for the people of West Belfast. Services which are currently being delivered from 13 different facilities will be available under one roof, when this centre is completed in 2011.
“All in all, I will have invested £75million in this type of project within the Belfast Trust area, which transforms and modernises the way primary care services are delivered to local people.”
Commenting on his 10 year programme of investment in capital projects the Minister said: “I will continue to invest funds where improved health and social care services are most needed.
“These projects are an important part of the health component of the Investment Strategy for Northern Ireland which will help modernise the infrastructure of health and social care services.
“At the heart of our modernisation programme is the recognition that we will deliver high quality safe services which continue to put patients first.”
Notes to editors:
1. The new facilities are located on the Shankill Road, facing the Shankill Leisure Centre, and on the Andersonstown Road, facing Curley’s Supermarket complex.
2. Construction of both facilities will provide employment for almost 200 people.
3. When construction is complete both centres will provide employment for over 670 people.
4. Five other centres have been completed in the Belfast Trust area. They include the Grove, Carlisle, Holywood Arches, Bradbury and Knockbreda.
5. Over the 10 year period 2008/09-2017/18, the Department has been allocated a total capital envelope of almost £3.3billion, against an identified need of £7.8billion (including inflation). Just over £700million of this is earmarked for the Comprehensive Spending Review period with the balance of just over £2.5billion allocated in the remaining period of the Investment Strategy.
6. This allocation included assumed receipts from asset disposals of £95million. Failure to achieve this target will result in the approved budget effectively being cut by the amount of the shortfall.
7. All capital expenditure is subject to the normal business case approval process.
8. Media queries to DHSSPS Press Office on 028 9052 2841. For out of hours queries contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number on 076 9971 5440 and your call will be returned.
