A variation at Marfleet Primary Healthcare Centre in Hull has converted disused dental space to clinical rooms, providing additional services within the local community.

The £100,000 Community Health Partnerships-funded capital variation is the first project to be delivered under CHP’s Productivity Acceleration in Community Estates (PACE) programme, which looks at the periodisation of opportunities and projects across the CHP LIFT estate to increase productivity.

The refurbishment of existing space into bookable clinical rooms at Marfleet will enable an increase of primary care provision delivered from the site, alongside other existing healthcare services, including, audiology, community services, a pharmacy, ultrasound and GP services from Marfleet Group Practice.

By working in collaboration with the local health system and private partners, including NHS Humber and North Yorkshire ICB, Sewell Construction, and local LIFTCo, Citycare, the variation ensures existing NHS estate is optimised to its potential and further supports the wider NHS Productivity Challenge.

Jane Fitch, regional director for the North East at Community Health Partnerships, said: “CHP’s buildings are predominantly in areas of high healthcare needs situated in local communities across the country and are therefore well placed to support in the shift from acute to primary care and enable services to be more accessible through local Neighbourhood Health Centres, reducing the pressures on local acute hospitals.

“As we continue to work closely with local health systems to support their infrastructure plans, it has been fantastic to see the project at Marfleet come to fruition.

“The PACE programme will work to ensure CHP’s facilities are well utilised which ultimately will support patient health outcomes, and will be key to securing the future of LIFT assets.

“The changes at Marfleet are an excellent example of what can be achieved at speed, when partners work together and will provide vital services in an area of high health need.”

Tim Wigglesworth, chief executive for Hull Citycare, added: “The PACE programme is a really helpful boost to the strong partnership working at a local level where we are shining a light on utilisation and making optimum use of the best facilities available to the health economy.

“We look forward to working with CHP on further projects supported by the programme.”