The new Kilsyth Community Health Centre was officially opened by the Minister for Sport, Health Improvement and Mental Health, Jamie Hepburn MSP.

The Minister, who is also local MSP, was joined at the official opening of the £7.8 million community health facility by NHS Lanarkshire chair Neena Mahal.

The new centre is located next to the swimming pool in Kilsyth town centre and is around double the size of the Burngreen Park centre which it replaced. It houses a wide range of services such as a GP practice, mental health, podiatry, physiotherapy, speech and language, dental practice and other local clinics within the two-storey building.

Jamie Hepburn said: “I’m very pleased to officially open the new Kilsyth Community Health Centre. It marks the culmination of a lot of hard work by the project team to bring this excellent new facility to the local community and I know it is an exciting day for all involved.

“The Scottish Government has invested £6.6 million in this new facility, which will bring together a host of services under one roof – leading to more joined-up and seamless primary care services.

“It is part of a wider investment in healthcare facilities across NHS Lanarkshire, with three new health centres and the new Lanarkshire Beatson all opening this year.”

NHS Lanarkshire chair Neena Mahal said: “On behalf of NHS Lanarkshire I would like to thank everyone who contributed to bringing this centre to fruition.

“This includes all our partners such as hub South West Scotland Limited and Graham Construction along with members of the public who were involved in the design process.

“However, as with any new facility, the resource which best compliments it is the skill, care and commitment of the staff.

“Ultimately it is their skill and care which allows us to get the best out of this new facility and provide better health care for the people of Kilsyth.”

NHS Lanarkshire chief executive Calum Campbell added: “As modern health care evolves to enable the delivery of health and social care services in community settings, this new state of the art facility will allow our health care staff to enhance the first class care they already provide to the people of Kilsyth.”

Janice Hewitt, chief accountable officer for the North Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Partnership, said: “Our aim is to provide the right support at the right time in the right place and this fantastic facility is part of a raft of resources that is ideally equipped to help us achieve this.”

The centre is part of a £43million partnership between NHS Lanarkshire and hub South West Scotland Limited which has delivered three new centres in Lanarkshire with the other two the new Houldsworth Centre in Wishaw and Hunter Community Health Centre in East Kilbride.

Michael McBrearty, chief executive of hub South West said: “This new facility will bring a variety of benefits to the community and hub South West are thrilled to have delivered the build successfully.

“It is great testament to the partnership working of all stakeholders involved in the project to help make this day happen.”