A NEW health hub in Launceston, which hopes to ease the pressure on local medical services, celebrated its grand opening this week.  

On July 11, residents, medical professionals, representatives of local groups and local councillors came together to mark the launch of a brand new ‘health hub’ on Exeter Street in the town’s centre. 

Hopes for the hub were first announced back in November 2023, it was proposed by the PCN (Primary Care Network) and Volunteer Cornwall, and is a shared initiative aiming to reduce gaps between services. It is designed to work on the prevention of health problems as well as earlier identification with support closer to home and at a community level wherever possible. The hub is also about providing holistic intervention and meaningful contacts within the community. 

The site, which has taken residence in the former property of Downton’s Dry Cleaners, is comprised of two main rooms, a hot-desking reception, as well as a large space likely to be used as a group meeting room.  

As well as this, the site hosts four consultation rooms used for confidential meetings.  

The space hopes to function as a local, collective home for a variety of services and organisations. Among those who have already expressed an interest in hosting services at the new hub are Derriford Hospital, Volunteer Cornwall, the Pain Cafe, Safe Haven, Stroke Association, and Cornwall Council, as well as many more.  

The hub has been described as a ‘social space for everything health’ where the community can help each other.  

Clinical Psychologist at Launceston Medical Centre, Dr Beks Magill, has led much of the project and says that the space hopes to offer an integrated approach to support the work of local GP’s. 

Speaking to the Post she said: “A lot of what we offer will be referral from the GP practice. We will proactively look for patients who we think would benefit from a service hosted here. So, someone will phone up for an appointment and we can signpost them to a service here, so actually, in some cases they might not need a referral to Derriford.” 

However, Dr Magill stressed that the hub is not an alternative to the medical centre, but instead an asset which can be used to support patients. 

She continued: “It is not an alternative to the medical centre, this is almost like a specialist provision where you can come and have health needs and wellbeing needs looked at. Some people go to the medical centre because they’re lonely or because they can’t pay their electricity bill, but there isn't too much a GP can do about that. Or, people come to the practice because they’ve got back pain and they’ve had that pain for years and the practice haven’t got anything else they can offer.  

“Or people come to the practice, and they’re allowed to talk about their diabetes, but actually they’re really depressed, their eyesight is struggling and they’ve got podiatry issues – which is all tied together, but the GP can’t deal with all of that.  

“So that’s why we’re going to offer a bit more of an integrated approach.”  

While the hub is officially open from now, it is currently running a limited number of services until is can install Wi-Fi on site. Though, the team are confident that services should pick up by mid-August.  

The hub are also requesting that anyone who feels they may be able to help or provide a something on-site to contact the team via: [email protected]