THIS is the future for health services in Radcliffe - a modern new medical centre.

This artist's impression of the health centre, which will be built close to Radcliffe Civic Centre, has been released as Bury Primary Care Trust announces its preferred private partner who will be turning the plans into a reality.

The multi-million pound super-surgery is due to open in summer 2008 and will feature a variety of services under one roof. Patients will be able to access up to five GP practices, minor surgery facilities, community dental services, speech and language therapy, podiatry, outpatient consultation and treatment, sexual health, a pharmacy and other services.

The "one-stop-health-shop" is being built as part of the Healthy Futures programme, which is currently in the final stages of a public consultation.

It aims to bring more hospital services into the community via health centres, also known as primary care resource centres, in Radcliffe, Bury town centre, Whitefield, Prestwich, Ramsbottom and Tottington.

The centres are being financed by the LIFT scheme (Local Improvement Finance Trust). It was set up by the government to allow PCTs to establish public/private partnerships to redevelop primary care premises and improve the quality of the buildings delivering care to patients.

The Radcliffe Primary Care Resource Centre will be the first centre developed as part of the £25million investment scheme and more than 6,000 patients are expected to access services in the centre every week.

Tim Chamberlain, executive member for health and wellbeing of Bury Council, said: "This is the future of health care. These state-of-the-art medical facilities will help to improve the health of the population providing modern services in appropriate buildings in locations where they are required."

Community Solutions for Primary Care (CSPC) will work in partnership with the PCT and other contracting authorities over the next 25 years developing health and social care for future generations.

CSPC put forward its design proposals for the Radcliffe health centre after answering an advertisement in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) for private sector consortia to bid to become a private partner.

Stephen Mills, acting chief executive for Bury PCT said: "We chose CSPC because their proposals clearly demonstrated a sound and realistic understanding of modern health service needs."

Ian Tasker, CSPC director, said: "We at Community Solutions for Primary Care are delighted to have the opportunity to work with local partners to help reshape the provision of health and social care and contribute to the regeneration of the local area.

"We are confident that the facilities and services that will be provided will make a real impact on Bury."