07 Oct Regional healthcare provider sets up home in Braintree’s new Livewell Hub
Regional healthcare organisation Provide Community
The Livewell hub forms part of Braintree District Council’s Victoria Square town centre regeneration project.
Provide Community signed a contract to lease the hub from the Council after agreeing with NHS Mid and South Essex that it would become the main lessee.
The new hub consists of a range of clinical spaces including consultation, therapy and treatments rooms, space to support virtual consultations as well as a large reception area, a meeting room and a Changing Places facility.
The Changing Places facility is the first of its type in a mid-Essex NHS premises and includes a hoist and other fixtures that allow adults with severely limited mobility and profound learning disabilities to access a toilet or have continence pads changed in a dignified and safe way.
There is also an ambulance bay or drop-off zone and some car parking for staff.
Provide will offer a range of healthcare services to patients, including sexual health, speech and language therapy and pulmonary care clinics. Provide will treat the patients referred to it from the five GP surgeries local to the area and for some of its services from further afield, too.
Negotiations to include GP services are advancing, but yet to conclude.
The new Livewell hub has the capacity to deliver services to 20,000 patients from Braintree and neighbouring areas.
It forms one part of Braintree District Council’s £30 million Victoria Square regeneration which includes 35 new apartment homes, a pharmacy, 70-bed Travelodge, café or restaurant, new bus interchange, public toilets, plaza and garden area and a twin level car park.
The Livewell hub is currently only open to patients with referrals.
Cllr Kevin Bowers, Cabinet Member for Assets, Housing and Skills at Braintree District Council, said: “We know how important good quality, modern and accessible healthcare facilities are to residents, patients and the local community. The new Livewell hub is a first class facility which will give thousands of residents access to a wide range of integrated health and wellbeing services. Our investment into this asset will have a positive impact on our town centre and local communities for many years to come.”
Dan Doherty, NHS Mid and South Essex’s Alliance Director for mid Essex, said: “It’s great to see community NHS services from Provide joining the Livewell hub’s offer. Their move into clinical premises fit for the 21st century alongside expected GP-led and wellbeing services will make it easier for people in Braintree to receive the sort of joined-up care and support that can improve health outcomes and quality of life.”
Kelly Maynard, Property Manager at Provide Community, said: “We’re pleased that this future-proofed amenity is now ready to service the needs of patients in and around Braintree and beyond. This is great news for local residents who will be able to access sexual health, paediatric speech therapy and language clinics and pulmonary care.”
