by
Phillipa Davies
| Sep 08, 2016
A former social club on the Northgate Hospital site in Great Yarmouth celebrated its transformation into a one stop shop for contraception and sexual health last Wednesday (31 August).
Staff and colleagues from commissioning bodies and partner organisations gathered at the iCaSH Norfolk hub Breydon Clinic*, provided by Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust (CCS NHS Trust), to celebrate the official opening.
Before cutting the ribbon Councillor Malcom Bird, the Mayor of Great Yarmouth commended the staff for creating a modern, friendly and approachable environment for the people of Great Yarmouth and Norfolk.
He said: “The team worked hard to achieve a smooth move and have taken the changes over the last 16 months of a new employer, new base and new ways of working, in their stride, despite things not always going as planned.
“So here we are, celebrating our opening at Breydon and a team that is passionate for and committed to a service that continues to evolve.”
On 1 March 2015, CCS NHS Trust brought together community and hospital sexual health services, under the name iCaSH Norfolk. The team moved services based at the Bure Clinic, Lowestoft Road, Gorleston on Sea and Kittywitches, King Street in Great Yarmouth to Breydon Clinic on the Northgate Hospital site on 24 March 2016.
Further hubs in Norwich (1 April 2015) and King’s Lynn (3 August 2015) have brought services under one roof in a similar way over the last 16 months.
Ellen Ballantyne, Service Manager, iCaSH Norfolk said: “It was great to have so many join us at our official opening. Everyone has settled in well to Breydon Clinic and the team have worked really hard to ensure patients receive high quality, specialist care, over the last 16 months. The new clinic provides improved accessibility for our patients in town centre premises.”
By integrating the services in a number of one stop clinics people can have all their sexual health and contraceptive needs, met in one place by one clinician wherever possible.
Patients can contact 0300 300 30 30 for appointments and visit www.icash.nhs.uk for more information.
*Breydon Clinic, Northgate Hospital, Northgate Street, Great Yarmouth, NR30 1BU. The clinic is at the corner of Eastcourt Road and Churchill Road.