The £19million health centre is being built on the site of the former Barlows building in Park Road, Hartlepool.

Work on the access road to new state-of-the-art facility started this week in what was described as a "milestone" in delivering 21st century healthcare for people in the town.

Services provided will include four GP practices, community dentistry, pharmacy, diagnostics and out-patient procedures, including surgery, previously only available within a hospital.

The development is part of the Momentum: Pathways to Healthcare programme which is looking to develop a range of primary and community facilities to support a single-site hospital serving Hartlepool and Stockton.

The access road is being created at the traffic light junction on Park Road, which also provides access to the Middleton Grange Shopping Centre. This work is expected to be completed by the end of February.
Steve Wallace, chairman of Hartlepool Primary Care Trust, said: "This is a tangible milestone on the road to delivering 21st century healthcare to the people of Hartlepool. The facility will be a wonderful asset to the town. It will be easily accessible by all and will include services currently located in the University Hospital of Hartlepool and neighbouring hospitals, allowing patients to be treated closer to home."

Coun Robbie Payne, Hartlepool Borough Council's cabinet member for finance and efficiency, said: "The council has played a major part to bring this development about.

"I am delighted that the first phase to put the access road in is under way.

"With its town centre location, this new facility has the potential to deliver accessible, modern health services and we look forward to it opening by the end of 2009."