Hucknall chosen to be one of six national 'super' health centre sites

Plans for massive improvements healthcare in Hucknall are now at an advanced stage after the town was announced as one of six national ‘super’ health centre sites.
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Ashfield District Council has previously announced plans for a new health centre on Piggins Croft Car Park in the town.

And now, more details have emerged with the news that the project will be a brand new Cavell Centre – an ‘all under one roof’ health centre, for which the council, says it has already raised £1million of funding towards.

The new centre will be an in-community health and wellbeing building offering a range of joined-up health and social care services.

Coun Jason Zadrozny, Ashfield District Council leader, where the new centre will be located on Piggins Croft car parkCoun Jason Zadrozny, Ashfield District Council leader, where the new centre will be located on Piggins Croft car park
Coun Jason Zadrozny, Ashfield District Council leader, where the new centre will be located on Piggins Croft car park

A planning application is now being drawn up by council bosses as part of a wider national estates programme designed around a core primary care offering.

This promotes the co-location of community services, outpatients, diagnostics, and other NHS health services.

In May 2021, six pioneer sites were identified nationally to establish a proof of concept with Hucknall chosen to be one of them.

Coun Jason Zadrozny (Ash Ind), council leader, said: “This work has been ongoing for 18 months and the fact Hucknall has been selected as one of the six sites nationally to put a business case forward is excellent news.

“The council has raised £1 million from developers and from other funding sources to pay for this – the Ashfield Independents really are leading from the front on this.

“Our planners have been on Piggin’s Croft Car Park and are putting together a multi-storey proposal to minimalise any loss of parking spaces.

"The whole reason for resurfacing the car park in the first place was to prepare the utilities for this amazing project that will revoluntionalise local healthcare in Hucknall.

"The fact that a town the size of Hucknall only has two main doctor’s surgeries is a scandal.

"That’s why we have been working so hard – over a long period of time – on the delivery of a healthcare facility that will benefit the whole of Hucknall.”

Coun David Shaw (Ash Ind), who represents Hucknall North, has been involved in the project from the start.

He said, “What is clear is that whilst the population of Hucknall has grown exponentially over the past 12 years, healthcare has been left behind.

"Hucknall is facing a healthcare crisis and the fact that our plans have been selected as one of only six sites nationally is exciting news.

“The Ashfield Independents have made improving healthcare in Hucknall one of their biggest priorities and I am pleased this council is leading on this.

“Working with health bosses, we are making significant, positive progress.”

It is anticipated that the new Cavell Centres will each offer care for population areas of between 25,000 and 150,000 people.

As part of the process the council is now represented on the newly-established programme board, which is the principal decision-making body in relation to the programme.

This will be responsible for the oversight of the project, including the delivery assurance of the plan, the development and submission of the outline business case and full business case within agreed timescales and approval processes, and the delivery of the new facility through to operation.