A campaign to bring a new primary care health facility to Ashton received a boost today as details emerged of the Board of Ashton, Leigh & Wigan Primary Care Trust (PCT) approving the development of a LIFT scheme for Ashton at its last meeting.
Ashton as long been identified as an area of the Borough requiring new health facilities and I pledged to continue the campaign started by my predecessor Sir Ian McCartney to bring new ‘state of the art’ medical facilities to the area.
I had been in dialogue with PCT Chief Peter Rowe since my election last May and this continued with the appointment of Joyce Redfearn as his successor.
The PCT have instructed Foundation for Life, its LIFT company, to move to the formal Business case process with a view to final approval by the end of this year. The PCT hope to have the new facility open in early 2013.
I very much welcome this decision – it’s a huge step forward for healthcare provision in Ashton.
This is exciting news for Ashton and marks a long campaign to bring a high quality health facility to the town. Ashton is the third largest town in the Borough and a new health facility would assist in improving the health and wellbeing of residents as well as acting as a catalyst for the further regeneration of the town.
As always with projects of this magnitude, there continues to be a huge amount of work to get right and it is important that the local community have an input – but this decision by the PCT is a great new year’s present for the people of Ashton.
Ashton Ward Councillor, Nigel Ash said, "We have waited a long time for this decision and it is great news that the campaign started by Ian (McCartney) and continued by Yvonne has moved one big step closer today."
"I am looking forward to learning more about the services that will be available and working with our dedicated health professionals to create a facility that Ashton can be proud of.”
