A NEW multi-million pound Keighley health and wellbeing centre will offer GP and dental services as well as a host of other provision.

For the first time publicly, the full range of facilities planned for the 'hub' on the former college site has been outlined.

And the town's six Labour councillors this week issued a joint statement in support of the scheme.

They say the North Street location earmarked for the development – land that campaigners are fighting to keep as a 'green space' – is the best place for the new provision.

Brendan Brown – chief executive of Airedale NHS Foundation Trust – speaking on behalf of the health partners involved in the initiative, says the centre would bring a number of services and medical professionals under one roof.

"We are delighted to be progressing with this much-needed facility," he said.

"By concentrating a number of health services into a single new town-centre facility, we are making it more accessible and easier for our communities to use. This is part of our wider way of working that falls under our Act as One health and care partnership for Bradford district and Craven.

"We recognise the need for developing local services for local people – this is a real demonstration of our partnership’s commitment to the people and communities of Keighley."

The centre will feature GP services including self-care and prevention, proactive care packages for those most at risk of admission to hospital, plus dental services.

Onsite community health provision would include physiotherapy, district nursing, midwifery, health visiting, diabetes support, stroke rehabilitation classes, podiatry, occupational therapy and a pharmacy.

Mental health services could include social prescribing and care navigation.

There would also be space for voluntary and community-sector groups to hold meetings and educational activities.

A GP training hub could also be included to 'upskill' local health professionals.

An estimated 200 people will work in the centre, with as many as a quarter of those being new roles within expanded services.

Up to £3.4m to help deliver the scheme has been secured from Keighley Towns Fund and a business case will now be developed to finalise the agreement.

Bradford Council says that by combining services which address a wide range of factors affecting health – such as unemployment, obesity, social isolation, poor relationships, poverty and lack of access to benefits – it believes "much better outcomes" will be achieved.

And it adds that having a full range of services in a single central location would improve accessibility and be a convenient ‘one stop shop’ for people.

Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw – the council's portfolio holder for regeneration, planning and transport – said: "This state-of-the-art integrated health and wellbeing hub in the heart of Keighley will bring together a broad range of services to take a holistic approach to supporting local people’s physical, mental and social care needs.

"Located in the town centre, it will attract additional pedestrian footfall, create new jobs and provide a boost to the existing retail and services in the town.

"A highly joined-up approach should deliver much improved and more sustained health and wellbeing outcomes for the people of Keighley."

In their statement backing the scheme, the Keighley Labour councillors – Mohsin Hussain, Keighley Central; Julie Lintern and Paul Godwin, Keighley West; and Malcolm Slater, Doreen Lee and Caroline Firth, Keighley East – said the initiative would provide a boost for the town and help people accessing health services.

They said: "This development would make it so much easier and more pleasant for people across the town to get to a range of appointments on offer. We also need it because our town – like many others – has suffered from online shopping, retail companies going into administration and branches closing. The wellbeing centre would bring around 200 well-paid jobs to the centre of town, plus people using its services – and they will spend money in our shops, bars and restaurants.

"That said, we share the passion of the people of Keighley for green spaces and we are pushing for more green space – but it has to be in the right place. A site that is surrounded by roads on all four sides is not somewhere that is relaxing, safe, or a suitable place for quiet contemplation or a picnic.

"To maximise the health and economic benefits to Keighley, the best location for the health and wellbeing centre is the former college site. However, we will continue to press the portfolio holder and officers for green space in the town centre, and we will continue to request that the wellbeing centre design incorporates some green space and landscaping."