Contracts exchanged over £5m surgeries

A £5 million health centre on the site of a former Black Country pub is a step closer, it emerged today.

Contracts for the development on the Duke of York pub in Wednesfield Road, Heath Town, Wolverhampton, have been exchanged.

Architects can work on designs to bring existing Heath Town GP surgeries and other health services under one roof. Dr Adrian Phillips, director of public health for the city, said today: "It is desperately needed in an area where many people are experiencing serious health problems.

"The majority of GPs in the area operate from premises that are not appropriate for today's needs and are not able to develop further services which are available to patients in other parts of the city.

"Bringing together the smaller GP practices into one centre will co-ordinate care in a way that will benefit thousands of local residents and be a fantastic asset for the area."

Men in Heath Town have a life expectancy of three-and-a-half years less than the average for the rest of the city – itself two years less than the national average.

The teenage pregnancy rate for the area is three times the national average.

The pub site was bought by Wolverhampton City Primary Care Trust from the council. Neil Nisbet, trust director of finance, said they had searched for a suitable site in Heath Town for almost three years. After talking to local people they agreed to investigate use of the Duke of York site and were delighted contracts had been exchanged so that the design of the building could get under way.

Subject to planning approval, building work should start in 2011 with the centre opening in 2012.