WORK is set to get underway on the £1.5m refurbishment of a Rossendale health centre.

Waterfoot Health Centre, Cowpe Road, which was built in the 1970s and serves 9,000 residents, will be extended and renovated as part of the work.

The work is due to start in mid September and last for at least ten months. During that time the core services such as the baby clinic and child development checks will remain in the building.

But many of the community health services will be moved out temporarily to either Bacup, Rawtenstall or Haslingden.

The refurbishment plans include building an extension to the pharmacy, new consultation rooms, enhanced treatment rooms and new accommodation for community health services.

The health centre is the latest Rossendale centre to receive cash for refurbishments with Bacup Health Centre already receiving £5 million. A bid has also been lodged for a £10 million state-of-the-art health hub in Rawtenstall.

Jo Hall the Primary Care Trust's health centre manager for Waterfoot, Haslingden and Rawtenstall said: "The long-term aim is to have modern health facilities for this sizeable population in the central part of the Rossendale Valley.

"During the refurbishment our patients will be accommodated at the other centres within the Valley, but it will be worth the temporary inconvenience as, in the end, the people of Waterfoot and the surrounding area will benefit enormously."

Dr Diana Doherty, one of the doctors who has a surgeries at Waterfoot, said: "Everyone agrees that the premises needed major attention and expansion. The series of changes will take place over the forthcoming twelve months, and has been worked out so that it's business as usual for the doctors and their patients.

"Obviously, some of the community health services will have to move out temporarily to allow us to stay here while work is in progress. There will be an element of disruption in the car park and in the premises, but we know that our patients will be tolerant and understanding. We will all have to keep our eyes on the end result that will eventually come our way."

A spokesman for the Primary Care Trust said: "We see this development as part of moves to develop more modern integrated health provision that is designed to serve the different needs of the separate communities in the Valley.

"The Waterfoot area has a considerable population, with the number of patients expanding towards the 9,000 mark, this investment reflects that level of local need."