By Gillian Ellison

Last updated 15:55, Wednesday, 07 May 2008

A NEW health centre is planned for Cleator Moor which will be the first of its kind in the county.

The new facility – costing at least £2million – will have GP services as well as a walk-in health centre and longer opening hours.

The centre, which should be up and running by 2010, will be open from 8am-8pm, seven days a week.

It is planned for land at Birks Road and will replace Wath Brow Clinic.

It is likely that borehole testing will be carried out shortly on the site, which belongs to the Catholic Church, (adjacent to The Club).

Jeff Kilgour, a project manager for Cumbria Primary Care Trust, told a Neighbourhood Forum meeting last week: “It’s good news for Cleator Moor,”

Mr Kilgour has been involved with the scheme for about three years. He said funding approval had been given from the Treasury in 2004 but plans had to go on hold when the Primary Care Trust was restructured.

Now the project is moving ahead again. Mr Kilgour said they only needed part of the available land but that there had been talks between the Catholic Church, Richard Mulholland of Regen North East Copeland and Copeland Council to look at eventually developing the whole site.

Mr Kilgour said the PCT was still developing the case but that it was at an advanced stage and would go out for public consultation in due course.

Cumbria’s lead GP, Ian Mitchell, said: “There will be an opportunity for local practices already in Cleator Moor to join forces to put in a joint bid for the new premises and developments. The PCT will encourage practices to attain the necessary skills to bid for such a venture.

“It is hoped that local practitioners will make a successful bid for the new service and that this will both enhance the care of patients within Cleator Moor and encourage practitioners to join an exciting new development.”

At the end of last year, the health secretary announced a national programme to deliver extended and improved access to GP services to address inequalities in health services.