10 June, 2011
NHSG/64/11
Joint news release from Grampian Police and NHS Grampian
Whinhill Medical Practice and Police Station Official Opening
NHS Grampian Chairman Dr David Cameron and Councillor Martin Greig, Convenor of the Grampian Joint Police Board, will officially open the joint NHS medical practice and police station on Whinhill Road, Ferryhill, Aberdeen, on Friday, June 10.
This exciting new facility brings together the merged Belmont and Ferryhill Medical Practices as Whinhill Medical Practice, and a local community policing team for the West End.
The two storey, modern and bright facility is a multi-agency centre, providing six GP consulting rooms, social services and community nursing offices, as well as a police station with its own entrance.
Whinhill Medical Practice provides a range of general medical services to patients registered at the practice. This includes the management and monitoring of long term conditions, routine immunisation of children, the annual flu immunisation programme, health screening programmes, Diabetes Clinic and a Nurse-led Minor Illness Clinic.
Whinhill Police Office is the latest new station opened this year, in conjunction with partners in the heart of our communities. Taking local policing "closer to you" through higher visibility and easier accessibility, this new, modern station has brought the local policing team for the West End area together under one roof. The team of an Inspector, three Sergeants and more than 20 police officers is one of 13 local policing teams in the city. The new team combines services which were previously split between Fonthill and Nigg offices.
Inspector Mike Thompson said: "The new site means the local policing team will be based right at the heart of the community and we are delighted with the support we have had for this move from residents. We should see an immediate benefit as our officers are able to take advantage of this facility in the heart of the community but, most importantly, it will also serve both the force and the community well for years to come."
Heather Kelman, General Manager of Aberdeen City Community Health Partnership, said: "This attractive facility is part of the continuing redesign of primary care in the City to deliver the right services, in the right place, by the right people, to ensure primary care is sustainable and best placed to continue to meet the needs of the public. It is also one of the first Framework Scotland new build projects in the country and was finished within budget and on time − ensuring good use of the public pound."
Work began on the site, previously owned by Aberdeen City Council, in March 2010. In preparation for the development, strong partnership working was established, not only between the NHS Grampian, Aberdeen City Council and Grampian Police as public sector bodies, but also the Principal Supply Chain Partner, led by Scottish firm Morrison Construction. This partnership working also involved staff and service users by gathering their views and ideas during a series of team workshops led by Architects Halliday Fraser Munro and keeping local residents up to date with activities using newsletters and an open day in the local community centre.
Notes:
1. Frameworks Scotland is a procurement process and provides a wide variety of construction-related services for both new build and refurbishment projects. It provides NHSScotland Boards with the ability to readily appoint accredited Principal Supply Chain Partners (PSCPs) alongside a pre-agreed commercial arrangement. It offers rapid mobilisation of projects with supply-chains who have excellent NHS experience.
2. The Whinhill Medical Practice and Police Station was designed by architects Halliday Fraser Munro who have offices in Aberdeen and throughout Scotland and Northern Ireland.
3. The practice opened to patients in December 2010, and the police station opened in April 2011.