A HEALTH centre in Blackburn is relocating to new £1million premises.

St George's Surgery, in Preston New Road, is moving to a site in Haslingden Road, due to be finished in September.

The new facilities will accommodate five GPs, community nursing staff, a pharmacy and car parking as well as land for future expansion.

Practice manager Margaret Baines said: "St George's Surgery has been in its existing building since the 1960s and the physical constraints of this accommodation have been making it increasingly difficult to deliver the type and the quality of care that the practice prides itself on, as well as stifling plans to develop future health care provision.

"At 836 sq metres, three times the size of the current building, the scheme will make a tremendous difference to the practice's plans to deliver quality primary care in the future.

"The improved working environment will be a boost for staff and patient morale."

Although the new centre is two or three miles from the old surgery, GP Dr Nick Buckley said problems with access had been considered. He said: "We have patients from a very wide area including Samlesbury, Langho, Guide, Belthorn, Lower Darwen and Wilpshire and we think overall it could even improve access to the majority of patients.

"We also plan to keep the remaining surgery open as a branch surgery so there will be a doctor present probably every day.

"By modern standards and according to Government guidelines, the existing surgery is probably large enough to accommodate two GPs and, at times, we have up to seven working there."

Managers at the health centre chose the new site with the help of private sector partners United Healthcare Developments after more than two years of looking around the town.

The firm will pay for the cost of the new building and make its return by leasing it back to the surgery, initially for 25 years.

They finally settled on the site, which is near to the roundabout where Haslingden Road meets Grimshaw Park.

Chief Executive for Blackburn with Darwen Primary Care Trust, which oversees GP provision, Vivien Aspey, said: "The PCT welcomes this development which will greatly improve both patient care and the environment for the professionals providing that care.

"It is completely in line with our estates strategy and shows another of the many ways in which GPs and the PCT can work together for primary care and the people of Blackburn with Darwen."