PRIVATE Finance Initiatives have not had an easy birth as a concept and there have been some well publicised examples of the reality not quite matching up to the much-vaunted theory.

Also a few voices have been raised against the principle of getting the private sector involved at all in areas of our life that some believe should be wholly financed by the state - and thus our taxes.

But it's difficult to see how anyone could criticise the common sense arrangement that looks set to provide Blackburn with a brand new £1million health centre that will accommodate five GPs, community nursing staff, a pharmacy, car park and room for expansion.

The centre means the St George's Surgery will be able to keep their existing premises on the other side of the town as a branch surgery thanks to an arrangement with private sector partners United Healthcare Developments.

The company will pay for the cost of the new building and get its return by leasing it back to the surgery - initially for 25 years.

Thus the company benefits from a sound investment in property and the community benefits from premises that offer a much better environment and services for patient care.

And at a time when East Lancashire is suffering from a shortage of doctors, such facilities have the added bonus of being a big carrot in attracting GPs to the area. It looks like everyone is a winner.