A STATE-OF-THE-ART health centre will bring about a much-needed revolution in the care offered to one of Blackburn's most deprived communities.

That's the view of the dedicated team chosen to run Bangor Street Health Centre which officially opened its doors yesterday to serve the needs of people in the Brookhouse area.

The ambitious £580,000 project was funded by CommuniCare NHS Trust in partnership with Blackburn City Challenge.

The health centre completes an impressive range of facilities clustered in the heart of the Asian community, including a refurbished and extended youth and community centre, day centre, school, nursery and day care centre for the elderly. Health visitor Shahida Hanif, one of the workers determined to make a difference to community health, said: "This is an excellent initiative. Before, everybody was working on their own. Now we can combine our skills to meet the need of the community right on their doorsteps."

Shakil Salam, the centre's community development officer, is also confident the facility will become an important resource for people living close by.

He said: "All the services offered will be tailored to the needs of the local community. We will concentrate on the major problems faced by our clients.

"Already, we have identified diabetes, high cholesterol levels and low-weight births as areas to look at. But the facility will not just be for people who are ill but eventually it will become a one-stop advice centre."

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