Flashback Friday: We open the new West Heath Medical Centre in 2012
Can you believe that it’s over five years since we opened the new West Heath Medical Centre? This is how the press reported the big event. . .
“An impressive £2.2 million purpose-built medical centre has opened in West Heath, with financial support from Barclays.
West Heath Medical Centre encompasses not only a traditional GP surgery but also specialist healthcare services. They include gynaecology, ENT, maternity, minor surgery, weight management and counselling services - amongst many others. The Centre is looking to expand the services further in the coming months.
West Heath Surgery, who occupied the building previously on the site for over 60 years, currently employs 20 staff. They are delighted to have moved into the new premises and to now be able to provide healthcare to 4,000 patients in the local community – a number which is growing rapidly.
Comprehensive vision for the community
The project was the vision of local GP Dr Ashok Vora. For a number of years, Dr Vora wanted to develop a comprehensive healthcare service under one roof whereby consultants would come to patients in their local surgery rather than patients having to make what can be a daunting visit to the hospital.
Dr Vora has been an important part of the local community for many years. This includes being a founding member of South Doc Services, a co-operative of local GPs providing out of hours healthcare to South Birmingham patients, who’s headquarters are also now located at the Centre. Dr Vora is also well known for his bravery back in 1989 when he helped to save a child from a house fire in Kings Norton – at the time being hailed a local hero.
Completed on time and within budget
Dr Vora’s son Nirmal, a management consultant, has been the Managing Partner at the surgery for almost a decade. Nirmal oversaw the project from start to finish, ensuring that the works came in on time and within budget.
Commenting on the opening, Nirmal Vora said: “I am thrilled to have been able to take my father’s original vision to develop a centre that maintains a family surgery feel whilst accommodating all the services that are normally only found in the largest health centres.
Nirmal continued: “I believe we can now offer an environment and service to our patients that is second to none and deal with the many referrals to specialists in house which means that, in many cases, our patients can be treated at the centre rather than having to wait to be seen at a hospital. The feedback we have had from our patients has been tremendous and we are extremely excited to now have the appropriate premises to have become a GP training practice to develop GP’s of the future.”
Funding provided by Barclays
Funding for the project has been provided by Barclays. Alan Perry, Relationship Director within Barclays corporate banking division said: “The concept for the centre has been a number of years in the making and it’s great to see it finally open and for Nirmal to have realised his father’s ambitions.”