Plans agreed for £22m health centres in community care drive

Construction will begin shortly on the new centres in the Hoyland,

Darton, Athersley and Great Houghton areas of Barnsley.

The buildings, due to open in 2011, will provide a wide range of services including GP practices, minor surgery facilities, libraries, pharmacies, community learning kitchens and children and adult services.

The venture by Barnsley Community Solutions is a joint public-private partnership between NHS Barnsley, Barnsley Council, Community Health Partnerships and Community Solutions for Primary Care, a private sector partner.

It has previously completed five other centres in Barnsley at Worsbrough, Thurnscoe, Goldthorpe, Grimethorpe and Cudworth in the last four years.

Phil Coppard, chief executive of Barnsley Council, said: "The new walk-in centres are an important part of the council's work to improve residents' access to information and advice and an excellent example of what can be achieved by working in partnership, being joint-funded and run by Barnsley Council and NHS Barnsley."

Tom Sheard, chairman of NHS Barnsley, said the agreement would bring "long term health improvements for local people".

"Working closely with our partners, and listening to the people in the communities where the new premises will be built, has allowed us to obtain the best value for money while providing excellent facilities," he added.

The buildings will be built under the NHS Local Improvement Finance Trust (LIFT) programme.

LIFT, set up in 2001, aims to develop community-based services which will take on work traditionally done in hospitals.