Stroud MP Siobhan Baillie officially opened the new £6.5 million Five Valleys Medical Practice in Stroud today, Friday.
Five Valleys Medical Practice is the new home of two of the town’s established GP practices – Locking Hill Surgery and Stroud Valleys Family Practice – which have merged to become Five Valleys Medical Practice.
The fully refurbished building on King Street, which previously housed Woolworths and more recently Poundland, was developed by Yorkshire-based Dransfield Properties, who have also been responsible for the transformation of the Five Valleys shopping centre.
The new medical centre will provide new and improved GP services for more than 15,000 patients.
Ms Baillie was joined by the owners and Senior Partners at the practice, representatives from NHS Gloucestershire, Stroud District Council and GFirst LEP.
After cutting the ceremonial ribbon, Ms Baillie said: “It was an honour to open the new medical centre next door to my office. This is a big investment in our community and builds on the incredible improvements we have seen in our town centre in the last few years through public and private funding.
“Having access to new, modern, refurbished facilities is a boost for staff and patients. Local people want GPs and pharmacists to be easily accessible and there are many healthcare challenges following the pandemic, so this is something to really celebrate.
“I would like to thank everyone who has worked so hard to ensure we are opening up this week.”
Dr Ewart Lewis, GP partner at Locking Hill Surgery, said: “We’re thrilled to be moving into our new premises, giving us the long-awaited opportunity to offer more services and care to our patients. Having additional consulting and treatment rooms will allow us to expand our teams, train more GPs and offer a greater range of services, for example, diagnostics, minor surgery, contraception, mental health support, physiotherapy and social prescribing.”
Director of Primary Care and Place at NHS Gloucestershire, Helen Goodey, said: “NHS Gloucestershire is delighted to have backed this exciting development which gives healthcare in Stroud a major boost. We are thrilled that the GP surgeries are now offering services from their superb new premises.
“Patients can look forward to receiving high-quality care in a great environment whilst the healthcare professionals are much better supported in delivering this.
“We too would like to thank all of those involved in bringing this project to fruition.”
Five Valleys Medical Practice will also house a new first-floor physiotherapy and podiatry suite operated by Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust as well as a new library – set to open in 2023 – and office facilities.
As a result of this extensive programme of works delivered by Dransfield Properties, Number 1 King Street will offer the Stroud community an easily accessible hub of public services within a short two-minute walk of the train and bus stations, a taxi rank and other amenities, including pharmacies.
Managing Director of Dransfield Properties, Mark Dransfield DL, said: “We’re thrilled to see the completion of this major phase of works that we have undertaken here in Stroud.
“We believe this warrants carefully crafted architecture and we strongly feel we have achieved this as well as providing the local health care service with a modern space that’s designed to serve the local population in its town centre.”
The new building is also home to Starbucks coffee shop, which opened last month and office space which has been created on the third floor for local firm, Davies Landscape Architects.
The development is a key part of Dransfield Properties’ ongoing work in the centre of Stroud and the redevelopment of the Five Valleys Shopping Centre.
Medical centre visitors will benefit from 90 minutes free parking at the multi-storey car park at Five Valleys shopping centre with access directly from the top floor of the car park as well as being close to the centre’s amenities, which include a number of key high street names for household essentials as well as a great selection of independent outlets for fashion, gifts, home accessories and artisan food.
To keep up to date with all the news and events at Five Valleys visit www.fivevalleysstroud.co.uk
