Speaking at the opening, Mr McGimpsey commended the practice and pharmacy for their vision and commitment in providing superb facilities to the communities of inner Belfast.
The Minister said: “This new surgery and pharmacy will bring improvements in the delivery of services to the people of the Sandy Row and Donegall Road area.
“As Health Minister I am particularly pleased to see how primary care is developing and flourishing in the heart of the community.
“Facilities such as this which pull together a range of primary care health professionals and offer a variety of joined-up multi-disciplinary services in one place, can produce the best quality of treatment and care.
“These new facilities will greatly support the practice as it strives to meet the challenges we face in the health service.”
Notes to Editors:
- Dr Toal and Partners’ practice surgery, now newly housed on Sandy Row, was previously located at 239 Donegall Road.
- The practice also has a surgery located at 475 Falls Road.
- The practice was founded in 1948 by Dr Samuel Sloan and from its inception sought to serve both sides of the NI community from its original premises on the Grosvenor Road.
- The Practice will be renamed the Vere Foster Medical Group.
- Vere Foster (1819 – 1900) was born in Copenhagen into a privileged Anglo-Irish landed family with estates in both England and Ireland. He visited Ireland during the Great Famine of 1847 and was so moved by the poverty and hunger that he devoted his life to the social betterment of the Irish poor.
- The development of new premises in Sandy Row has been underway since September 2006.
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