Work begins on new state of the art health centre for Worthing

The ground-breaking ceremony for the Worthing Integrated Care Centre, in Stoke Abbott Road, was held on Friday 11 February.

Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust is a key partner in the new health centre, which is being funded by Worthing Borough Council.

The new centre will provide GP, mental health, community and dentistry services under one roof, as well as providing a pharmacy and additional services for families and young children.

It will see Coastal West Sussex Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), Worthing Medical Group, Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust and Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust services integrated into one NHS healthcare facility.

It is being built on the brownfield site of the Worthing Town Hall car park, which closed in October 2021 to allow contractors Galliford Try to begin the preparatory work.

Mike Jennings, chief financial officer and deputy chief executive at Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust, added: “We are really proud to be a partner in this exciting project, which will provide modern and accessible healthcare services to the people of Worthing and the surrounding area.

“Bringing NHS services together under one roof will make it easier for patients to access a range of support in one place, and it remains at the heart of the local community. It’s an excellent example of how we can work together with partner organisations to integrate healthcare services in order to deliver high quality care for the benefit of our patients.”

Councillor Kevin Jenkins, leader of Worthing Borough Council, said: “We are absolutely delighted to mark the beginning of construction for this wonderful project. This ground-breaking ceremony is a huge watershed moment for the whole town.

“This care facility will be one of the best in the country when completed. It will also be the culmination of so much hard work from the council, working in conjunction with NHS partners.

“It will provide first-class healthcare on one specialised site, making it easier to access and in the long-term while also saving taxpayers money without ever compromising on quality. It will be something Worthing can be extremely proud of.”