Johnson to open first GP health centre
Alan Johnson due to open first GP health centre in England later
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Friday, 28, Nov 2008 08:10
Health secretary Alan Johnson is due to open the first GP health centre in England later today.
The Hillside Bridge Health Care Centre in Bradford is one of 152 new GP health centres opening across the country as part of the government's programme to increase access to family doctor services.
The new centres are set to be open from 08:00 to 20:00, seven days a week, and offer and all-year-round walk-in service.
Members of the public will be able to use the additional services provided by the health centres while remaining registered with their local family doctor service.
The Bradford and Airedale Teaching Primary Care Trust (tPCT) said in a statement on its website that the centre was being introduced in the area due to a previous lack of family doctors in the local area resulting in some services becoming stretched.
The Department of Health claims the centres will have a "strong focus on promoting health, particularly for hard-to-reach groups, and on reducing health inequalities".
Mr Johnson is set to open the Bradford centre at around 10:00 GMT on Friday.