A YOUNG apprentice had the honour of handing over the keys for the new GP and Minor Injuries Centre which is due to open to patients next month.

Ruairi Gallagher, an 18 year-old apprentice heating engineer with FES and apprentice of the year at Glasgow Kelvin College, was one of hundreds of construction staff involved in building the flagship facility.

This forms part of the new £37m Stirling Health and Care Village and will provide more modern, spacious accommodation for a number of existing health services on the Stirling Community Hospital which will transfer to the new facility.

These include minor injuries services, X-ray facilities (two X-ray rooms and two ultrasound rooms), GP out-of-hours services and Keep Well services.

It will also house three local GP practices (Viewfield, Park Avenue, and Park Terrace Practices) and provide a base for Scottish Ambulance Service staff, including a number of specialist paramedics.

The handover of the keys marks the completion of the build phase and will enable staff to fit out and equip the clinical areas, offices and staff accommodation over the next six weeks.

Alex Linkston, chair of NHS Forth Valley, said: “This is a fantastic new building which will offer improved healthcare facilities for local people, NHS staff and a number of GP practices.

"I’d like to pay tribute to Robertson Construction, the Project Team and Hub East Central Scotland who have worked together to ensure the centre was completed on time and on budget.”

Stirling Council leader, Councillor Scott Farmer, said: “I’m very happy to welcome the opening of this new GP and Minor Injuries Centre which will make a significant contribution to the health and social care agenda for Stirling.”

The new Stirling Health and Care Village is a joint venture between Stirling Council, NHS Forth Valley, the Clackmannanshire and Stirling Integration Joint Board and the Scottish Ambulance Service.

Gary Bushnell, chief executive, Hub East Central Scotland, said:”We have worked closely with all of the partners involved in the new Stirling Health and Care Village project to successfully manage this key phase to completion.

"The new GP and Minor Injuries Centre is a high quality facility built to meet the specific needs of patients and staff and also support the delivery of first class care in Stirling.”

Forth Valley College is also involved as it plans to offer local young people a range of training and volunteering opportunities within the new village.  

The Bellfield Centre, a 116 bed inpatient facility which will provide short-term care, assessment or rehabilitation for older people who require additional support following an illness or operation, will be completed later in the year. 

This will be followed by a new ambulance station and workshop in autumn 2019 which will replace the existing ambulance station in the Riverside area.

Other planned facilities include a café, hairdresser, landscaped areas and an information area which can be used by community groups and volunteers.