The Flying Scotsman in Doncaster will soon be the new home for the town’s sexual health services following partnership work led by Community Health Partnerships to improve use of the building.
Doncaster Local Strategic Estates Group had identified a need to bring together sexual health services provided by the local Trusts into one easily accessible hub. Given its central location, The Flying Scotsman, at St Sepulchre Gate West, was the preferred option.
CHP engaged with the local Trusts, Doncaster Estates Partnership Limited, Doncaster Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and Doncaster Council (who commission the service) to support a bid for CHP Capital funding for the project.
The majority of the £1.5 m funding is from CHP capital with a contribution being made by Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospital (DBTH), Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust (RDaSH) and the incoming service provider. The project reached financial close on 22 October 2020 and work is expected to be finished by May 2021.
Community Health Partnerships (CHP) used its in-house asset utilisation improvement model to work with local health leaders. Electronic sensors were installed to establish the true usage of the building. The data indicated that only a small amount of the available space on the third floor was used on a sessional basis.
The new arrangements will enable the services to be co-located at an easily accessible, modern site, which will benefit patients and staff. They will also allow the Trust to dispose of estate which is no longer fit for purpose, allowing them to reinvest in health services to benefit local communities.
When planning the configuration of space, the clinical area was designed both to provide a fit for purpose environment for the sexual health service and to be flexible enough to be easily reconfigured should the health needs of people within the local health economy change in the future.
“CHP is delighted that its continued investment in its buildings is helping deliver the estate of the future. These buildings are at the heart of the communities they serve. The flexibility of these facilities allows CHP to continue to support the changing requirements of local health systems,” said Eugene Prinsloo, CHP’s Development Director.
Hayley Tingle, Chief Finance Officer, NHS Doncaster Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “NHS Doncaster CCG is pleased to see this empty space being used at the Flying Scotsman Health Centre and we continue to work with our partners to improve utilisation of this modern facility.
“Using this space provides a fit for purpose home for Doncaster Sexual Health services and also means that as an NHS system, we no longer have to pay for empty space; this will free up vital resources that can be reinvested in other local health and care services for our local communities.”
