Council and partners shortlisted for prestigious national award

Shropshire Council and partners have today (Wednesday 16 March) been shortlisted for the Local Government Chronicle (LGC) awards 2022.

LGC Finalist Logo

Regeneration and Health Care in the Heart of our Rural Communities was one of 8 shortlisted for the *Health and Social Care category for the prestigious awards.

The LGC awards offers local authorities across the UK to showcases examples of innovation, excellence and performances that can inspire other councils to improve their own services.

2022 saw a record number of entries across all categories. To be shortlisted after a vigorous first judging stage is an outstanding achievement.

The entry details the work undertaken for the Pauls Moss Health and Care Hub Project in Whitchurch, North Shropshire that will deliver services to the local community with particular emphasis on health and well-being. This builds on the successful completion of the new Riverside Medical Practice building at the Tannery site in Shrewsbury town centre.

The project has been a collaboration across partner organisations including Shropshire Council, (funder of the health centre and social care commissioners), The Wrekin Housing Group (landowner, developer and funder of the new extra care facility), NHSEI Shropshire Telford CCG (health service commissioner and NHSE £1M funding) and three GP practices who have merged to deliver services in the hub. The development is being built by Vistry Partnerships West Midlands.

The £19.7m project will offer specialist housing, modern health care facilities, community cafe and state of the art assistive technologies and will provide:

• 71 bed supported living facilities in a market town centre setting reducing pressure on the need to travel and access acute hospital services.
• A service to over 13,500+ patients and vulnerable people
• Increasing digital aided technology and extended health and well-being service opening times.
• Specialist mental health support services.

In addition, the Pauls Moss Health and Care Hub Project will benefit 90 medical, care and construction jobs as well as a £1.5m reduction running costs with the merger of 3 GP practices.

Pauls Moss Housing & Health Project showing the original house and the new integrated facilities onsite.

Councillor Dean Carroll Cabinet Member for Physical Infrastructure said:

“This is fantastic news!  I am extremely proud that we have been recognised for the LGC awards. Pauls Moss Health and Care Hub Project builds on the success of The Tannery Regeneration Project to regenerate redundant public sector assets to provide primary health care and other key services to our local communities.

“This second community health care hub is now becoming a reality for North Shropshire and will greatly benefit the local community and future generations to come.

“I would like to thank all partners involved in the project. To be shortlisted for an LGC Award is the testament to the dedication of all involved and ultimate symbol of the brilliance of this partnership working.”

Councillor  Simon Jones Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health added:

“I am absolutely delighted that we have been shortlisted for this prestigious award.  The LGC awards provides a valuable opportunity to highlight and showcase the fantastic work of the council and our partners.

“The Pauls Moss Health and Care Hub Project will offer a range of modern health services to the community within a state of-the-art building that will support our longer-term prevention strategy and help people stay healthy for longer.

“I wish the teams every success in the finals.”

Councillor Gerald Dakin, local councillor for Whitchurch South said:

“This is really good news! The Paul Moss Health and Care Hub is an excellent project and I’m glad it is in Whitchurch.

“This is really good value for money and certainly fits the bill for Whitchurch.”

Councillor Thomas Biggins, local councillor for Whitchurch North, also commented saying:

“The Pauls Moss project will provide essential medical services for the people of Whitchurch and the surrounding area.

“I am delighted that vital funding from Shropshire Council has made this project possible, and I am pleased that this has been recognised by shortlisting the project for a national award.”

Councillor Peggy Mullock, local councillor for Whitchurch North added:

“This is a fully deserved recognition of the work of the team at Shropshire Council who have been totally committed to ensuring Whitchurch residents get the Medical Centre that our growing town needs. From when Peter James and myself, from the Patients Group first asked if it was possible, officers have been hard at work to achieve it.

“On behalf of Whitchurch Patient Group we would like to  say a big thank you to this dedicated group of people who have helped us to achieve our dream.”

Dr Tim Lyttle and Data and Quality Assurance Manager Elaine Ashley of Churchmere Medical group said:

“This is excellent news! The new Pauls Moss Health and Care Hub will enable us to continue to provide the best possible care for our Whitchurch patients in modern purpose built premises.

“We are excited to be part of this partnership project.”

Wayne Gethings, Group Chief Executive at the Wrekin Housing Group said:

“It’s fantastic news that the efforts to deliver integrated housing and health services at Pauls Moss has been recognised by the LGC awards.

“We are very grateful for the support of Shropshire Council, NHS England, NHS Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin CCG and Churchmere Medical Group; it has been a real collaboration and we couldn’t have achieved this alone.

“It has been a long journey to get here – around four years from the project’s inception – but a necessary one, as it ensures the town will have access to much-needed specialist accommodation for older people, as well as a first-class new medical centre in a building that will be fit for future generations.”

Claire Parker, Director of Partnerships at NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), said:

“This recognition is certainly well deserved. It is an excellent example of partnership working between partners, and also more widely highlights the incredible work of Churchmere Medical Group who have been doing so much to support people’s health and wellbeing,

“As Whitchurch’s population continues to grow, this new health centre will mean the practice can continue to meet the ever-increasing health and care needs of patients in what is going to be a fantastic new building for local people.”

The awards ceremony will be held on 20 July 2022 at Grosvenor House in London.

You can find out more about the LGC Awards 2022 here.

Further information

Pauls Moss Health and Care Hub Project aims to:

• Provide high quality supported accommodation for older people to enable them to live independently for longer.
• Support a longer-term prevention strategy and help people stay healthy for longer. •
• Create a culture within which people help each other and take control of their own health and well-being.
• Create a lifestyle approach where people can choose to live the way they want and engage with the wider community.
• Offer a holistic approach to health and well-being breaking down organisational boundaries.

*Health and Social Care category

This award is open to a single council or where appropriate a partnership of councils, or a council-owned company. Private sector partners can enter on a council’s behalf, with the permission of the council itself.

With financial challenges and a growing population of older people, and people with disabilities, adult social care was under severe pressure before the Covid-19 pandemic, and it is under even greater now. This award recognises how councils have worked to improve or maintain services amid these pressures.

It seeks to recognise innovative projects likely to facilitate integration between health and social care, boost personalisation, and improve collaboration between the public, private and voluntary sectors to improve delivery. This award is intended to recognise and promote best practice in this critically important area either related to or unrelated to the Covid-19 pandemic.