A turf cutting ceremony was held last week (24 August 2022) to mark the start of construction on the £10.5m NHS integrated health hub we designed in Bakewell.
Set to be shared between Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust and East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust, the state-of-the-art hub will provide a modern new home for community health services and an ambulance service base. Our architects on the project, Paul Foster and Jacob Peplow, were invited to join Prem Singh, chairman of Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust and Andrew Magee, head of operations at East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust, on site to put the first spade in the ground.
Prem said: “This investment in healthcare will help future-proof local health service provision for the next generations of residents in the Bakewell area. We are delighted to be working in close partnership with our ambulance service colleagues to create integrated facilities which support the principle of joined-up care. It has taken a lot of planning, over several years, to get to this stage. We’re delivering on a facility which will be a legacy to the future health needs of the local community. We can now enjoy seeing the new building take shape, knowing what fantastic facilities will be provided when the doors open in early 2024.”
Andrew added: “This is another really exciting step in the development of the new health hub and we can’t wait to see it progress over the coming months. Not only will this new building and its modern facilities be such an improvement on our old ambulance station, but by physically sharing a space together it will undoubtedly build on our relationships and understanding of one another’s organisations and work we do to support our communities."
Our design for the new health hub was carefully considered to reflect the area’s heritage and involved extensive study of the Peak Park Design Guide. Locally sourced materials including gritstone and limestone are specified and particular emphasis was given to traditional design features including a gable end form to ensure a building of civic character.
A multi-purpose, accessible building, Bakewell health hub features an East Midlands Ambulance Service hub on the ground floor together with Changing Places toilet facilities. The first floor will accommodate consultation and treatment rooms together with a children’s area, group room, office space, large waiting area, baby feeding and changing rooms, toilets and reception.
All 14 NHS outpatient specialties provided at the adjacent, Grade II listed Newholme Hospital will move across including audiology, children’s services, complex wound care, continence clinic, diabetes education, diabetic retinopathy, health psychology, integrated community nursing and community therapy, older people’s mental health (Living Well with Dementia), Parkinson’s clinic, physiotherapy and musculoskeletal services, podiatry, speech and language therapy and Long Covid research (via the Stimulate project).
Bakewell Health Hub is being constructed by Kier and is due to be handed over to the NHS in late 2023 and open to the public in early 2024.
