Construction begins for St Clements Partnership

Construction has begun for a new general practice surgery in Winchester, with Wessex AHSN supporting its evolution as an innovative facility for staff and patients. 

Image courtesy of Assura plc 

Winchester-based St Clements Surgery has roughly 17,000 registered patients and is currently situated several hundred yards away from where the new facility will be located, keeping disruption to patients to a minimum. 

Development of the new surgery building, by specialist contractor Assura plc, commenced on 6 March 2023 with a ground-breaking event on 13 March. MP Steve Brine, local actor Tommy Jessop and number of representatives from the practice, Winchester City Council, the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board (ICB) and Wessex Academic Health Science Network (AHSN) attended the event. Construction is expected to continue until summer 2024. 

Fay Johnson, Practice Manager, said: “This is a massive step forward and is great news for both the staff and patients at St Clements. Our current building is no longer fit for purpose and the new development will really allow us to continue improving care for our patients and to deliver the service we want to for people in Winchester.” 

Ali Young, Associate Director for Health Improvement and Place across North & Mid Hampshire at the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board said: “I am delighted to see this project moving forward and for the staff at the St Clements surgery to have a state-of-the-art facility to provide patients with the care and support they need. 

“This is a great opportunity for not just for St Clements practice and their patients, but also for the wider Winchester Community who will be able to access a range of Health & Wellbeing services.” 

The new development will feature 15 consulting rooms, three treatment rooms, admin facilities and larger reception and waiting areas. The new building also includes an interactive health hub and space for Primary Care Network Services. 

Wessex AHSN has supported St Clements since 2021 with the development of the business case put forward for approval with HIOW ICB, horizon scanning for innovations to use in the new practice, co-producing recommendations for interactive innovations and new ways of working to benefit both staff and patients. A key focus of Wessex AHSN support has been to consider how the new Health Hub will operate, how the Health Hub will best serve patients and how staff wellbeing may be improved. An evaluation to assess the impact, successes and challenges of the ways of working will be enacted in late 2024 following the opening of the new facility.  

Dr Hammerton, GP Partner at St Clements Partnership said: "New buildings do not magically improve healthcare but they do give us the chance to reflect and reimagine care in a post pandemic world. This is why the Wessex AHSN multi-year study looking at new ways of working is so important. Through the study we aim to improve patient care and staff wellbeing while maximising flexibility and minimising health and digital inequalities." 

Nicola Bent, Deputy Chief Executive Officer at Wessex AHSN, said: “We are delighted to see St Clements Surgery break ground and move forward with their new premises. This project has been a great example of collaborative working between practice staff, primary care, system commissioners, specialist developers, the local authority and public stakeholders. Wessex AHSN is proud to have supported the practice to identify innovative ways of working to encourage the wellbeing of staff and improve the experience for patients.” 

The new building will be delivered to the latest sustainability standards and energy efficient with a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating for its performance. It will have the ability to generate onsite energy through the installation of PV Panels on the roof and is designed with regard to Net Zero Carbon principles. 

Further information and progress on the build process can be found on the practice’s dedicated project website: www.stclementsmedicalbuild.co.uk. 

You can find out more about the AHSN's involvement in this project by clicking on the following link - St Clements Partnership Project.

If you are interested in finding out more about the project and how Wessex AHSN could help your practice please contact Patrick Arnold (patrick.arnold@wessexahsn.net) or Andrew Sibley (andrew.sibley@wessexahsn.net).