The first patient has been seen in our new Ageing Well Centre and he was full of praise of the facility, staff, and his experience.

For elderly residents across our communities, the centre will improve health outcomes, reduce hospital admissions, and through earlier diagnosis prevent deterioration and other health conditions.

One of the many ways will be through proactive comprehensive geriatric assessment which is a detailed assessment of a patients physical, functional, mental and social care needs. In addition, the centre will offer urgent assessment appointments for patients who may be needing more intensive care.

When at the centre, if needed, they will be able to get scans, diagnostic tests, simple infusions including for dehydration, bone assessments and other services at the Hub avoiding the need for extra visits to local hospitals.

By proactively managing patients through the service and through collaborating with local health partners in our communities, we can keep people well and, wherever possible, in their own homes helping to keep patients out of A&E and our hospitals, so they get treated in a better and more suitable environment.

The centre, in Hornchurch, is part of the new St George’s Health and Wellbeing Hub which will provide a wide range of health and wellbeing services all in one place for around 250,000 people in Havering and surrounding areas. 

Our teams welcomed the first patient on Monday 18 November, 78-year-old Terry Grover from Dagenham, who described the process as seamless. He said:

“It was good, quick and it’s a nice new building – it smelt new too!

“Staff were great as they always are. I liked that it was a lot less hectic than Queen’s as I’ve been there quite a lot in the last few months, I was happy with how it went.”

Colleagues and partners also marked the occasion with a tour of the facility, including the four bays with space for 20 patients, consultant rooms and a comfortable and open waiting area.

Fiona Wheeler, our Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Chief Executive, said:

“It’s great to welcome our first patient to the centre and celebrate this with all of the teams, colleagues, and partners who have been involved in this project.

“This centre, along with the rest of the Hub, is going to have a huge impact on residents across our communities which we’re all really excited to see.”

Simon Green, Geriatric Consultant and our AssociateMedical Director for Integrated Care for Frailty, added:

“It’s really exciting as elderly residents across our three boroughs will get the care they need, when they need it, and in a much calmer environment away from busy hospitals.”

Dr Atul Agggrawal, a Havering GP and a clinical lead for the St George’s Health and Wellbeing Hub programme, said:

“Every time we open a bit of the Hub, I just smile. I think the most important thing is integration as we’ve got all the different providers working here together, in this amazing unit, seamlessly – it’s a brilliant thing.”

As well as these services, patients can also access outpatient, mental health, children’s and community services.

Alongside other outpatient clinics at the Hub, BHRUT will also run our Virtual Ward there and a new Community Diagnostic Centre which will open in the coming weeks.

The hub will also provide space for local voluntary and community groups to deliver a range of activities to support people’s wider health and wellbeing needs; as well as a community café, multi-purpose education, and a sensory, dementia-friendly communal garden.