A pioneering NHS outpatient centre in a Barnsley shopping centre is transforming healthcare access and revitalising the high street. The facility, located in the former Wilko store at the Alhambra shopping centre, offers a range of non-urgent services previously only available at the district general hospital. Health Secretary Wes Streeting described the initiative as 'really inspiring' and 'the future of the NHS'.
The centre, which opened in October 2023 at a cost of £8.8 million, provides ophthalmology, dermatology, rheumatology, and orthotics care. It is expected to offer over 38,000 appointments annually for eye conditions, 19,500 for skin conditions, and thousands more for other services. The project is a collaboration between Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and the Labour-run council, which bought the shopping centre to prevent its closure.
Patient feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, citing easier access, shorter waits, and no need to battle for hospital parking. The centre's town-centre location, close to bus and rail stations, has reduced missed appointments by 24%. Staff who previously worked at the hospital now operate from the new facility, with numbers set to rise as more services move in.
The initiative is part of a broader 'health on the high street' plan to transform the entire first floor into a health and wellbeing hub, including a private gym, a healthy eating cafe, and mental health services. The trust hopes the centre, alongside a nearby community diagnostic centre, will provide over 200,000 appointments annually, helping to tackle the NHS backlog.
Local businesses are also benefiting from increased footfall, with patients combining appointments with shopping or leisure activities. The centre's architect, Michael Brown, noted the convenience of having a mammogram while a partner visits Sports Direct or meeting a friend for coffee after a dermatology appointment.
