Lyn Brown MP has welcomed the proposals to build a new “world-class” Polyclinic to be built of the Olympic Village site.

The polyclinic will provide a full range of primary health services, including a GP surgery, outpatient clinics, physiotherapy services, x-rays and ultrasounds.  It will also include a dentist and pharmacy as well as extensive community facilities. 

These services will offer Newham residents the health services they need, close to where they live.  The facilities will provide around half a million extra appointments a year, meeting both the long-term health care requirements of existing local communities and those of the new residents that will live in the Village after 2012.

The clinic will be built on the eastern edge of the Olympic Village site, providing easy access for local people.  Work is due to start later this year.

Lyn Brown MP said,

“I am thrilled that reason has finally prevailed and the Olympic Village will now contain a permanent health centre which will serve the existing community of Stratford as well as the new community that will arrive after the Games.

Many people have been involved in the campaign to get the centre, including the Records and I am delighted we have been victorious.

I am extremely grateful to my colleagues in the West Ham Labour Party whose efforts have been invaluable in helping to collect hundreds of signatures to petition to get this facility.  I know from the response we had that this centre has huge support in our community.  Newham PCT have also worked tirelessly to ensure that our ambition for a permanent health facility in the Olympic Park was realised.

The plans look exciting but our aspirations haven’t stopped there.  There are ongoing discussions about how to get cutting-edge teaching and health research facilities to Newham which can only improve the quality of healthcare to local people.  These are the type of legacies that the Olympics can leave to our community.

But there is still more to do.  Before Christmas I was delighted to meet with the Baroness Ford of Cunninghame who has been appointed chair of the Olympic Park Legacy Company.  She has a wealth of experience, energy and ideas and I am confident that many more excellent and necessary facilities will be delivered.”