Dartmouth Health and Wellbeing Centre

development plan on the new site

Work started on site in June 2021 to build a new, purpose-designed Health and Wellbeing Centre for the people of Dartmouth and surrounding villages. The £4m programme due to open in May 2023 will provide a purpose-built centre for community health services and clinics alongside the local GP practice and a pharmacy.

The centre is due to opening in May 2023 and will give people access to a broad range of health and wellbeing services in one place, by bringing together GPs, community nurses, therapists, Dartmouth Caring and a pharmacy.

The centre will offer good public transport links as well as on-site parking – and the overflow parking for the park and ride is also being upgraded with new hardstanding parking spaces. The building project is being led by Torbay and South Devon’s strategic estates partner, gbpartnerships; the building work is carried out by Westcountry building firm, Classic Builders.

Interim Health and Wellbeing Centre

Until the new centre is open, Dartmouth Clinic will continue to run as an interim Health and Wellbeing Centre.

Latest updates

Dartmouth Health and Wellbeing Centre reaches its highest point

On 26 April 2022 we celebrated reaching the highest point in the construction of the Dartmouth Health and Wellbeing Centre with a Topping Out Ceremony.

Our Chairman, Sir Richard Ibbotson and Chief Executive Liz Davenport were joined by representatives of local staff, South Hams Council, Dartmouth Council, Dartmouth League of Friends, Dartmouth Caring, Dartmouth Medical Practice, Governors and the Devon Clinical Commissioning Group to mark this achievement.

The development will provide a brand-new centre for community services alongside the GP practice, a pharmacy and voluntary services will open later this year.

Photo: Dartmoth Health and Wellbeing Centre building works

Those attending were able to have a tour around the building and were really impressed by the size and space the building offers.

Sir Richard Ibbotson Chairman for Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust commented: “It is so good to see how far the development has come since building work started last summer. The health and wellbeing centre will be a fantastic facility for the people of Dartmouth and the surrounding communities. I was so pleased to have been joined by some of the people who have given so much time and energy into the making of this centre.”

Cllr Hilary Bastone, South Hams District Council’s Deputy Leader said: “I’m delighted that the project is nearing completion, so that this much needed facility can open and start to serve the good people of Dartmouth. I am proud that the Council stepped in to assist Torbay and South Devon NHS Trust when they needed our help, by providing land and funding to ensure that the Health Hub could become a reality.”

Dr Anthony Anderson Dartmouth Medical Practice said: “Having looked around, the building is impressive, particularly its size. We all look forward to moving to this modern, purpose-built building with space to increase our services, better working conditions for everyone, better patient access and ample parking. It’s been a long journey but we’re nearly there.”

Good public transport links as well as on-site parking – and the overflow parking for the park and ride is also being upgraded with new hardstanding parking spaces which will make the site even more accessible.

Former hospital site

Statement on behalf of Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust and Dartmouth Town Council

“Councillors from Dartmouth Town Council and senior leaders from Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust have been working together to explore the feasibility of a community bid for the site of the former Dartmouth and Kingswear Community Hospital.

“We are pleased to say that this has progressed well and we have an agreement in principle for the sale of the former hospital site by Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust to Dartmouth Town Council.

“This outcome is mutually beneficial, as it supports the NHS investment into the construction of the brand-new Dartmouth Health and Wellbeing Centre as well as ensuring the former hospital site is owned by Dartmouth. It will provide initial funding plus ongoing revenue for Dartmouth that will support affordable housing and associated grants to assist Dartmothians in need. This is something that local people have identified as a priority. In addition, it will bring employment and increased income into the town.

“The agreement is currently being finalised and we will continue to update local people as we move forward.”

Disposal of the former hospital site FAQs

Discussions for an agreement for Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust to sell the former Dartmouth and Kingswear Community Hospital site to Dartmouth Town Council are currently taking place.

At this stage, while negotiations continue, we cannot confirm what the site will be used for. We can say that it will be a commercial venture that will bring in jobs and income to Dartmouth. It will also bring in revenue to the site owners, Dartmouth Town Council, that will support affordable housing for those in need, something, in the recent survey, local people said they wanted.

We will be able to provide more detail later but we can say that Dartmouth Town Council approached a number of housing providers who did not think that they could provide a viable solution on the site itself. This has meant DTC have had to look at a more innovative and viable approach where revenue from the site can support the provision of affordable housing for the town.

Discussions are still ongoing so this cannot be answered at the moment. Once the deal is concluded there will be a point where the information is in the public domain and can be shared.

Dartmouth Town Council. Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust are selling the site to Dartmouth Town Council which means they will be the owners for the site on behalf of Dartmouth.

The intention is that the façade of the original part of the building will be retained as part of the new development. This will mean the new design will incorporate the original building within it.

Seeking local people’s views

Healthwatch ran a survey for us from 8 November to 10 December 2021, asking local people what new facilities they would like to see. The full results of the survey are available on the Healthwatch Devon and Healthwatch Torbay websites.

For full details, see our news release.

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