Work on a new health and social care facility to cater for the communities of Bishopton and Dargavel is on track for completion next summer.
The centre within walking distance of the train station is “progressing as planned”, a chief officer’s report to the integration joint board (IJB) – the body responsible for oversight of Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership – has confirmed. The contractors are on site and installation of the structural frame and timber kit has concluded for external walls, while almost all internal partitions and roof panels have been fitted.
The next stage involves making the structure wind and watertight in the coming months, while groundwork operations will continue in the car parking area. Councillor James MacLaren, a Conservative representative for Bishopton, welcomed the progress, adding: “It’s important that it moves along and it’s opened as soon as possible.
“There’s a huge need for an improvement to the facilities in Bishopton and Dargavel. People are waiting ages to get an appointment with the doctors and so I’m hopeful that this new satellite health centre will improve the time to get an appointment and people will be seen quicker than in the past. Hopefully it will alleviate the pressures, if we can get some doctors to fill it.”
The report to Wednesday’s meeting of the IJB also explained artists have been appointed to support the delivery of external art work and work is under way to plan their engagement with the community. The update added: “The project’s principal designer will continue to monitor health and safety through this construction phase.
“The project remains on schedule with an anticipated completion date of summer 2025. Once complete it will create additional clinical accommodation capacity for a variety of users across Bishopton and Dargavel and will complement the existing health facility in Bishopton.
“It will also provide additional space and flexibility for the current GP practice and enable more options for health and social care services within the area. A further progress update will be provided to the IJB in due course.”
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