THE Secretary of State for Health Alan Milburn officially opened the new £7million Thomas Linacre Outpatients Centre in Wigan -- which houses all outpatient clinics under one roof.

The new centre has made it more convenient for local people to access outpatient clinics -- because all the clinics are housed on one site.

The new centre, built on the site of the old Wigan Grammar School, opened to patients in May last year.

Mr Milburn hailed the new centre as a fantastic innovation and said: "The new centre will be convenient for local people because it's right in the middle of the town centre and is easily accessible. I think it's a lovely building but it will be the staff who work at the centre who will help to ensure it's success."