The contract involved the provision of a Primary Healthcare Centre, the largest primary care facility within NHS Lothian and one of the largest in the UK, with associated external works, car parking and landscaping.
The brownfield site, located at Quarryhead, central to the residents of Loanhead, provided difficult ground conditions and a degree of remediation works were required in advance of the actual build.
There was also a requirement for service diversions and the construction of a new adoptable access road.
The enabling works for this project included: Works to exisiting railway bridge; existing drain and services diversions; pressure grouting to mine workings and vibro compaction for the building footprint.
The health centre provided much needed new premises for three large GP practices, with 23 doctors and community medical services, to a patient population of approximately 25,000. The centre was designed to provided a comprehensive one-stop medical facility for patient care together with an improved and enhanced integrated working environment for medical professionals, whilst meeting the individual needs of each major user (three GP practices and Community Services) within the framework of an integrated building design. Each GP practice and the Community Services are uniquely identified and have individual entry, staircase and exit provisions, while providing medical facilities where all clinical services are on one level.
As one of the largest combined GP practices in Scotland and previously housed in an inadequate building, it was the doctors’ wish to continue to operate out of one building and create new accommodation that would suit their needs.
Community medical services:
• District nurses
• Health visitors
• Midwives
• Physiotherapists
• Other health workers
Accommodation:
• 21 GP consulting rooms
• 10 treatment rooms
• Minor surgery suite
• 2 midwifery consulting rooms
• Physiotherapy gym and treatment cubicles
• 2 podiatry treatment rooms
• Health visitors consulting room
• Health education room
• Community consulting rooms
• Interview rooms
Other services:
• Integrated pharmacy facility
• Supporting learning disabilities
• Community care of the elderly
• Community dementia team
• Dietetics
• Speech, language and occupational therapy