Northern Ireland Health Minister, Michael McGimpsey, was on hand today to officially open the award-winning £10m Knockbreda Health & Care Centre.

The new facility is the fifth of seven centres being developed in the Belfast Trust area, and will provide a range of services in a "one-stop-shop environment".

The purpose-built centre includes service specific treatment facilities, 10 consulting rooms, a procedures unit, diagnostic facilities, support accommodation and café. Medical services provided at the centre include therapy, community dental, social work and nursing, adoption and post-adoption, GP out-of-hours and a Citizen’s Advice Bureau.

"Knockbreda Health and Care Centre will transform health and social services in this area, making a real difference to local people," said Minister McGimpsey.

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"The Centre will provide greater access to a wide range of services in the community, close to where people live and work.

"Primary care is the cornerstone of our health and social care system in the 21st century and this Centre is a practical example of a one-stop-shop approach to primary healthcare, bringing together, for the first time, services which had previously been provided from a number of buildings throughout the Borough of Castlereagh."

In June 2009, Knockbreda Health and Care Centre received recognition in the Design & Health International Academy Awards in Singapore. It has also won an award in the category of International Healthcare Project in recognition of the design of the building being patient-centred and demonstrating an understanding of the therapeutic effect of a 'healing' environment.

The Minister added: "This award winning building clearly demonstrates how my Department, Belfast Health & Social Care Trust and their design teams have worked effectively together on health and social care planning and design. This recognition clearly demonstrates that Northern Ireland is a global leader in the design of health and social care facilities."

(NS/GK)