New Health Investment at Westbank

Written by Adam Drake Wednesday, 14 March 2012 19:30

Local Businesses - Westbank Healthy Living Centre

The Westbank health and community care centre has won a £145,000 health grant which will help it extend local care by providing rehabilitation programmes and fitness care for people recovering from cardiac and respiratory conditions as well as falls and strokes.

Work started last month (March) at the Westbank Centre, which is investing £500,000 in a new extension linking its two current buildings in Exminster. The extension will house a new and extended gym, bigger than the centre’s current facility which is open to the local community to use and has proved highly popular, said Mary Nisbett, Westbank’s Chief Executive.

She explained: “The £145,000 grant from the Department of Health’s social investment fund has been a terrific boost. Putting that with the money we have saved for this project and new fundraising, this project is the beginning of a dream come true for us."

“We will be running a range of health programmes in the gym and we know there is a real demand for exercise and balance activities for people referred to us by local GP practices. Within the extension, we will have consultation rooms which will be used by a range of local health care staff giving health checks and assessments such as weight groups, chiropody care and muscular-skeletal therapies.”

The new extension will also have a multi-use room for group activities including healthy eating, arts and craft for older people, reminiscence activities for people with dementia and young carers groups, added Mrs Nisbett. Cllr Stuart Barker, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care at Devon County Council started the new extension project by cutting the first turf. The project is expected to be completed and in use within eight months.

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