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Taunton Patients To Benefit From Revamped GP Premises

French Weir Health Centre has received £490,000 from the NHS England Estates and Technology Transformation Fund.

Together with investment from the general practitioners of French Weir Health Centre, this has funded the addition of a completely new second storey to their building. French Weir Health Centre, which serves more than16,000 patients from Taunton and the surrounding areas, now has six new treatment rooms and a new lift between the two floors.

The NHS England ETTF is a national funding programme to support GP practices to make improvements to services for local patients including more-modern, expanded facilities and use of new technologies.

Lisa Wallis, Practice Manager of French Weir Health Centre, said: “We were delighted when we heard that our bid to NHS England for funding from the ETTF was successful.  We were rapidly running out of space.

“A few years ago, we adopted a better model of working with more multidisciplinary staff: nurse practitioners, musculoskeletal practitioners and an emergency care practitioner working in our practice.  This model of care frees up time for GPs to do the work that only they can do, but it meant that more consulting rooms were needed.

“The second storey is a superb addition and the building contractors were fantastic, starting work in late October 2018 and finishing in May 2019.

“We now have the space that we need, as well as the opportunity to work more collaboratively with other practices. The new extension will bring benefits to patients and staff, and we’re really looking forward to taking residence in a couple of weeks’ time.”

Dr Ed Ford, Chair of Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “We very much welcome this development at French Weir Health Centre. This much-needed additional space will allow practice staff a much better environment in which to work and support patients. We are delighted for patients and staff.

“Multi-disciplinary GP practices such as French Weir are key to helping people to stay well and live healthy lives. We are proud to work together with our providers and partners to improve the health and wellbeing of everyone who lives and works in Somerset.”