Renfrew Health Centre (Question to the Health Minister)

 Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Minister for Health and Community Care will consider a visit to Renfrew, given the Executive’s recent announcement of further resources for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to support the building of new health centres in Renfrew and Barrhead. (S2O-10894)

The Minister for Health and Community Care (Mr Andy Kerr): I would be happy to respond to any invitation from the member or NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and its partners in respect of those important projects, which will improve health and social care services in Renfrew and Barrhead.

Ms Alexander: I thank the minister for his commitment. Does he agree that the facilities will provide a base from which to drive forward the public health agenda at the heart of some of the communities where we need to make the greatest progress?

Mr Kerr: Not only that, but the facilities fit extremely well with our well-received “Delivering for Health” strategy, which is about the localisation of care and the anticipation and prevention of ill health. I particularly welcome the local partnership working between social work services, general practitioners and local health services.

I look forward to construction of the Renfrew centre starting in mid to late 2007 and to the facility being operational by January 2009.