THE opening date of a state-of-the-art health centre in Barrow has officially been announced.

The new £12m Alfred Barrow Health Centre is expected to open its doors to the public on Monday November 11.

The facility on the site of the former Alfred Barrow School is bringing together a number of primary and community health services which will benefit the Furness population.

This includes the Abbey Road Surgery, Risedale Surgery, Atkinson Health Centre, services provided by North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust, University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust as well as facilities for Morecambe Bay CCG, North West Ambulance Service, BAE Systems and Boots Pharmacy among many others.

Dr Geoff Jolliffe, Barrow GP and NHS Morecambe Bay Clinical Commissioning Group Clinical Chair said: "We are all really delighted that the Alfred Barrow Health Centre has finally reached completion and the building is looking great.

"It has been a complex project and is opening later than originally anticipated, as there have been a number of challenges.

"Predominately there has been a pressure on trades in the local area as the building sector is relatively buoyant at the moment.

"We’re delighted that we’ve reached this stage in the project and we’re all really looking forward to officially opening this modern state-of-the-art building.

"Bringing these services together under one roof is going to be hugely beneficial to the people of Barrow."