The £3million state-of-the-art West Lancashire Health Centre was officially opened by Rosie Cooper MP today (29 January).

Based at Ormskirk & District General Hospital, it has vastly improved access to health services for people in West Lancashire.

The centre opened on 1 December 2009 and offers a range of services including:

• pre-booked and drop-in GP services from 8am to 8pm, seven days a week for registered and unregistered patients;
• drop-in advice and treatment for minor injuries and ailments every day of the week from 8am to 10pm for all patients. This includes access to tests such as x-rays;
• the GP out-of-hours service for West Lancashire; and
• NHS dental services, including an emergency service from 10am to 10pm, seven days a week. The service will offer NHS places for 11,700 people.

Rosie Cooper said: "I am so pleased that the doors of this fantastic new £3million healthcare facility have opened. It has given residents across West Lancashire access to high quality permanent health and dental services seven-days-a-week - they deserve nothing less.

"I understand that the services are already starting to get really positive feedback, with around 1,300 patients benefiting from the service last month alone. On behalf off the people of West Lancashire I would like to thank everyone who has made this project such a success."

NHS Central Lancashire chair Peter Kenyon said: "These new services will transform healthcare for people living in West Lancashire. People don't need to be registered with the centre or have an appointment - they can just drop in. This will vastly increase people's access to healthcare.

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of those involved in the development of the centre, including our staff, the West Lancashire Partnership, Ravat and Ray Dental Care, and Rosie Cooper for her support throughout."

Colin Throp, director of finance at Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust, added: "The quality of this centre is a tribute to everyone who has made it happen. It has also been an opportunity for the hospital trust and primary care to work more closely together which can only be to the benefit of the people of West Lancashire."

Greeting visitors entering the centre is artwork produced by Banks Methodist School. The pictures were chosen through a competition with schools in West Lancashire.

One of the pupils whose work is on display, Christie Duckwork, 10, said: "I'm thrilled that I won the competition and I can't wait to spend my vouchers on books."

Jean Morris, Banks Methodist School head teacher, said: "We are a very small school and teaching our pupils the benefits of a healthy lifestyle is a priority within our curriculum."

• Contact West Lancashire Health Centre on 01695 588 800
• To register with the dental service, contact the dental access team on 01772 777397 or visit www.centrallancashire.nhs.uk/dental and register online.
• For more information log on to www.centrallancashire.nhs.uk.