On 14th August Liverpool & Sefton Health Partnership, of which Bilfinger Berger Project Investments is a main sponsor, reached financial close on a further three schemes: Garston NHS Treatment Centre, Oriel Drive and Speke Neighbourhood Health Centre. This is the third of six tranches within the Liverpool and Sefton LIFT programme, with total capex amounting to approx £22m.

The largest of the three schemes, Garston NHS Treatment Centre, is 5,800m2 in size and will replace the existing hospital building on the site which dates from the early 1900s. The design of the new building is sleek and modern and has a contemporary feel reflecting the PCT's desire to provide new improved services to the people of south Liverpool.

The design is of a high architectural standard. The building, designed by MBLA architects, will stand on a sandstone outcrop and will be a prominent landmark in Garston. Importantly, unlike the existing building, people will be able to access the new facility from street level rather than by steep ramps and stairs as they do currently. The services to be delivered from the new building will include:

• General medical practice and primary care walk in centre
• Radiology (also supporting walk in centre out of hours)
• Provision of paediatric outpatient services
• Intravenous therapies e.g. blood transfusions
• Phlebotomy and ECG services
• Foot services including annual diabetic foot checks
• A range of integrated sexual health services including Chlamydia screening
• Community and private dental services
• Musculoskeletal assessment and treatment services
• Adult audiology services
• Glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy screening services
• Gastroscopy and sigmoidoscopy diagnostic services
• City council social services
• Pharmacy

Construction will commence immediately and the forecast date of completion for each site are: Oriel Drive February 2010, Speke August 2010 and Garston March 2011.

BBPI’s LIFT portfolio now stands at 14 primary health care centres in London and Liverpool.