Construction of both the new integrated health and care hub and apartments completed in March 2023. This exciting development is a landmark site for us, as it is the first in a wider programme of new hubs to enable us to provide better care locally in Central Bedfordshire, through our NHS partners joining up health and care services for the residents of Dunstable and surrounding villages.
There are also 98 modern, contemporary homes for shared ownership and affordable rent for those over the age of 55.
It is just one of many investments we have been making to improve Dunstable, including high street improvements, the new leisure centre and library at the Dunstable Centre, and the new Creasey Park sports facilities.
The integrated health and care hub
The integrated health and care hub is a ‘one stop’ hub where people can access high-quality care and services seven days a week close to where they live making it more accessible, convenient and easier for our residents to use. It brings together a mix of health and care professionals in a single location to promote more joined-up working between the NHS, the council and voluntary and community sectors.
It plays an essential part in our wider plan to provide Better Care Locally, which has the overall aims of:
- helping all our residents to stay healthy and well
- enabling the provision of health and care services, in the right places, when they are needed by local people
- reducing pressure on hospitals so they can focus on the areas of specialist care – so that people can access a wider range of services outside of hospital settings
We are working with Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, the Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Partnership, East London NHS Foundation Trust, HUC and Cambridgeshire Services NHS Trust and primary care networks to achieve this vision for improving the health and well-being of our residents, through greater integration and partnership working.
Facilities and services at the health and care hub include:
Range of Services
- Priory Gardens GP Surgery - open to patients on Tuesday 2 May.
- Extended GP services on a 24-hour, seven days a week
- Enhanced services delivered by and across practices, including services to support patients with long-term conditions
- Face-to-face out-of-hours consultations
- Community and mental health services
- Social care services - adults and children/ social workers and occupational therapy
- Rehabilitation and reablement services
- Outreach services from local acute hospitals and specialist services, e.g. outpatient appointments and other specialist consultations
- Less complex diagnostics
- Public Health and prevention services, e.g. smoking cessation, NHS Health Checks, lifestyle hubs
- Well-being services, and community mental health services
- Voluntary and carer support services
- Social Prescribing
- Podiatry
View our welcome video to find out more about the health and care hub:
Social Value
Social Value is important to Central Bedfordshire Council. It is embedded in our Vision 2050, Economic Strategy, and Sustainability plan. We want diverse and flourishing local businesses, local resources, and products to be used, skills for future generations and to grow a culture of innovation.
Our construction partner, Willmott Dixon, is a certified Considerate Construction Partner and has contributed four million pounds of social value to the Grove View Project. They have provided commercial opportunities to local businesses and job opportunities and training to local people through their Building Lives Academy and their Get into Construction with the Prince’s Trust courses for people facing barriers to employment, education, and training.