GP health centres proposals approved for North Sheffield

Proposals to build three new GP health centres in the north of Sheffield get the go-ahead at NHS South Yorkshire’s board meeting

Sheffield has been given £37m to improve primary care buildings in the city. Most of this money will be used to build the new health centres in areas that need them most, bringing together GP and other services under one roof.

Earlier this year NHS South Yorkshire consulted with people on behalf of the nine GP practices that were proposing to move into the new buildings.

Local people fed back in several ways, and we had over 5,000 responses. The feedback was used to help inform practices’ decision on whether they wanted to continue with the plans and move into a new centre.

After considering public views and after discussions with the nine practices, it was agreed that the proposal for Firth Park Surgery and Shiregreen Medical Centre to move to a new health centre at Concord Sports Centre will not go ahead and the centre will not be built.

The final plan is to proceed with the development of proposals for:

  • Burngreave Surgery and Sheffield Medical Centre to relocate to a new health centre on Spital Street, S3 (next to Sheffield Medical Centre).
  • Page Hall Medical Centre and Upwell Street Surgery to relocate to a new health centre on Rushby Street, S4.
  • The Health Care Surgery, Buchanan Road Surgery, and Margetson Surgery to relocate to a new health centre on Buchanan Road / Wordsworth Avenue, S5.

We understand that some Firth Park Surgery and Shiregreen Medical Centre patients may be disappointed that the Concord Health Centre won’t go ahead. We continue to work with practices in this area to address the issues that formed the basis of the proposals as well as the issues that we heard during the consultation.

Public consultation 1 August 2022 to 9 October 2022

What you told us

 

A public consultation over plans to invest millions in building new GP health centres launched on 1 August 2022.

Sheffield has been given £37m to improve primary care buildings in the city.

Most of this money could be used to build new health centres in areas that need them most, bringing together GP and other services all under one roof.

As part of this four new health centres could be built in 2023. If GPs move, their current surgeries will close, so we want to hear from patients and communities about what they think of these plans.

The city needs more clinical staff, more accessible and higher quality services, and better premises and technology. There is a chronic shortage of GPs in the UK and a growing population in Sheffield.

We hope building new health centres will attract more clinical staff as doctors and nurses want to work in modern more spacious buildings and will have room to train other staff.

We believe the best way to support people and improve their health is to bring services together and wrap them around patients in these new health centres, helping to keep them well, independent and out of hospital.

GP premises in these areas are more than 50 years old. Many are too small to deliver medicine in the 21st century and to benefit from the latest advancements in health care and in technology. Waiting rooms are cramped, they lack enough consultation rooms and space for other services which could help improve people’s health.

The new health centres will help us to do more for patients on one site, increasing access to services and ultimately improving people’s health.

 

What is the consultation about and what is the proposal?

We are consulting on the proposal to build up to four new health centres in Sheffield.

We have funding for a fifth health centre for the city centre but we don’t yet have a short-list of locations, so is not part of this consultation. Once we have a proposal, the practices will share more information later this year. 

Read the full consultation document.

Read the summary leaflet.

FAQs.

Pre-Consultation Business Case (PCBC).

Easy read leaflet 

 

The proposed health centres would be located at:

  • Spital Street
  • Rushby Street
  • Concord Sports Centre
  • Buchanan Road/Wordsworth Avenue

There is only one location option for each health centre. We have worked extensively to identify and assess a range of possible site options for each of the four health centres.  Despite the best efforts of all concerned, it has only been possible to identify one viable site for each centre. 

 

Which GP practices are interested in moving?

GPs from 9 different practice sites are interested in moving into one of four new buildings. Practices are considering whether to become part of a new health centre or if they should stay in their current location.

These are the GP practice sites that are interested in moving to new premises:

  • Burngreave Surgery (including Cornerstone Surgery and Herries Rd Surgery branch)
  • Sheffield Medical Centre
  • Page Hall Medical Centre
  • Upwell Street Surgery
  • Firth Park Surgery
  • Shiregreen Medical Centre
  • The Health Care Surgery (part of Green Cross Group Practice)
  • Buchanan Road Surgery
  • Margetson Surgery (part of Ecclesfield Group Practice)

Click here for more information about the potential locations of the health centres for each practice.

 

Have your say

The consultation closed at midnight on 9 October 2022.

 

Why do we need to make a change?

Everyone in Sheffield loves the NHS and will probably agree it needs to change to improve people’s health. We need more clinical staff, more accessible and higher quality services, and better premises and technology.

There is a chronic shortage of GPs in the UK and a growing population in Sheffield. Some of those with the greatest health needs live in the north east of the city where the new health centres are being proposed.

We believe the best way to support people and improve their health is to bring services together and wrap them around patients, helping to keep them well, independent and out of hospital.

GP premises in these areas of the city are, on average, more than 50 years old. Many are too small to deliver medicine in the 21st century and to benefit from the latest advancements in health care and in technology. Waiting rooms are cramped, they lack enough consultation rooms and space for other services which could help improve people’s health.

The new health centres would enable us to do more for patients on one site, increasing access to services and ultimately improving people’s health. More than 50,000 patients could benefit from the developments and they will also help protect future of general practice in north east Sheffield.

We hope building new health centres will attract more clinical staff as doctors and nurses want to work in modern more spacious buildings and will have room to train other staff.

 

Further information 

Click the links below for further information 

New buildings

What we have done already

Positives and negatives of relocating your GP practice to a new health centre

FAQs

Travel analysis

 

Sheffield Primary Care Hubs update 

Foundry 1, Spital Street, Sheffield, S3 9LB 

Spital Street.jpgThis new health centre will provide purpose-built accommodation for Burngreave Surgery and Sheffield Medical Centre, and space for other health & well-being activities to help local people.  All or the necessary legal documents and agreements have been progressed and are now being concluded.    

To keep the programme on track and to avoid significant groundwork having to take place during wetter months, the previously derelict site has started to be cleared and levelled.  The Main Contractor, RG Carter, has been working with the practices and design team on the final detailed design of the building.  Whilst the building is being built, there will now be a focus on how the practices will move to the new site, and how the site will be used to provide the best services possible. This will include involvement with patient groups and local stakeholders.  Disability Sheffield has been helping us with the latest stages of design with their feedback to make sure the building is accessible to many different people – we are incredibly thankful for their involvement and look forward to continuing to work with them.   

The new centre will be called Spital Street Health Centre, with the building expected to be complete in December 2025, and opening in early 2026. The building will be owned by Sheffield City Council, but fully paid for by the NHS for both the construction and running of the building, with the GP practices holding leases for using the site. 

SAPA 2 Hub, Junction of Wordsworth Avenue and Buchanan Road, S5 8AU 

SAPA hub2.jpgThis new health centre will provide purpose-built accommodation for The Healthcare Surgery (Palgrave Surgery) and Buchanan Road Surgery, and space for other health & well-being activities to help local people. 

Service diversions and utility connections have already started to keep the programme on track.  There have been delays to carrying out these works in the summer due to the discovery of below-ground rock formations, that needed road closures and more extensive works to be undertaken, outside of school term time to minimise disruption.  The Main Contractor, Hobson & Porter, is now finalising detailed designs and will start main building works in January 2025. 

Whilst the building is being built, there will now be a focus on how the practices will move to the new site, and how the site will be used to provide the best services possible. This will include involvement with patient groups and local stakeholders.  The feedback from Disability Sheffield on similar schemes will be used to help make sure the building is accessible to many different people. Where there are specific points about the access to this site, we will continue to work with them.   

The new centre is expected to be completed in December 2025, opening in early 2026.  A name for the new building has not been decided yet.  The building will be owned by Sheffield City Council, but fully paid for by the NHS for both the construction and running of the building, with the GP practices holding leases for using the site. 

Sheffield City Centre Hub, 3-5 Church Street, Sheffield, S1 1HG 

Sheffield City Centre Hub.jpgPlanning and design for the conversion of the former RBS bank on Church Street (next door to The Cutlers Hall) is well advanced and a contractor is now being sought.  Legal processes are close to being completed, including the historic Grade 2 building listing. 

The new health centre will provide fully re-purposed accommodation to meet the needs of the existing Mulberry Practice and PCS City Practice, who will relocate from the Central Clinic a short distance away on Mulberry Street.  The new premises include space for other health & well-being activities to provide more services to help local people in a highly accessible location. The building will provide more space for clinical and support services to make sure there are enough services for the growing population expected in the city centre.     

Disability Sheffield has been helping us with the latest stages of design with their feedback to make sure the building is accessible to many different people – we are incredibly thankful for their involvement and look forward to continuing to work with them.  Whilst the building is being built, there will now be a focus on how the practices will move to the new site, and how the site will be used to provide the best services possible. This will include involvement with patient groups and local stakeholders. It is expected that the building will be completed in October 2025 and opened in late 2025. 

A name for the new building has not been decided yet.  The building will be owned by Sheffield City Council, but fully paid for by the NHS for both the renovation and running of the building, with the GP practices holding leases for using the site.