New Health Centre for Bargoed
The project has received £1.1million funding from the Welsh Assembly Government’s Heads of the Valleys programme and £500,000 from United Welsh.
The new health care centre - the result of a partnership that includes Caerphilly County Borough Council and Gwent Healthcare NHS Trust - will provide a range of health care services that were previously centred in the town library and other venues.
Work involved the radical transformation and ‘makeover’ of Oldway House, the former Job Centre. The work took 11 months and involved the complete internal and external refurbishment of the building which now provides accommodation for Podiatry and Sexual Health Departments.
Opening the new facilities Leighton Andrews said improving health was one of the key priorities of the Heads of the Valleys regeneration programme.
“Successful regeneration projects involve a holistic approach to ensure the health and well being of communities is at the centre of the equation. We are all too aware of the links between social and economic conditions, the physical environment, individual lifestyles and health.
“The Assembly Government is committed to developing both healthy lifestyle initiatives and primary healthcare services within communities and this striking modern new facility will provide a first class environment both for those delivering and benefiting from those services.
“Successful regeneration can only be achieved through partnership and I am pleased to see the development of this new centre is a prime example of organisations working together towards a common goal.”
Peter Laing, Chair of United Welsh praised the work of all those involved in the project. He said: “This is an excellent example of what can be achieved through co-operation. United Welsh, Caerphilly County Borough Council the Assembly Government and the Gwent Healthcare NHS Trust have all played their part in completing a project that is a credit to the area.
“This project is certainly a first for United Welsh and I’m sure for housing associations across Wales. It is a significant development that really does break the traditional role for Housing Associations as simply providers of social housing.”
Gwent Healthcare NHS Trust Chairman Ivar Grey commented: This is an excellent new centre that will allow the Trust to continue its development of key services to local people. Making community services like these as accessible as we can and offering the widest possible range of treatments will be a long term benefit to everyone.”
Leader of Caerphilly county borough council, Cllr Lindsay Whittle said, "We are delighted to be a key partner in this exciting project that will bring many benefits to the people of Bargoed and the surrounding communities.
“This is an exciting time for Bargoed and this new development is part of a wide range of ambitious regeneration schemes that will help breathe new life into the town centre."
March 2009
Leighton Andrews AM, Deputy Minister for Regeneration
Peter Laing (Chair, United Welsh),
Leighton Andrews AM, Philip Champness (Non-executive Director Gwent NHS Trust),
Jeff Cuthbert AM, Lindsay Whittle (Leader CCBC)
