THE first sod was cut as building work began on a long-awaited £331,000 outpatients' unit at Clitheroe Community Hospital.

Funding from the Ribble Valley Primary Care Group and CommuniCare NHS Trust has helped get the scheme off the ground and will create a more user-friendly building. There will also be an extra consulting room and additional GP and staff facilities.

For several years both outpatients' clinics and out-of-hours services have been held in temporary buildings behind the hospital. Over time the building has lapsed into a poor state of repair, resulting in several complaints. Patients were also concerned that the thin partition walls undermined their privacy and were unhappy about the insufficient waiting space.

Hospital bosses hope the building will address these problems and offer opportunities for an increase in the number and range of outpatient sessions.

Sheila Maw, CommuniCare chairman said: "We are delighted that, at long last, this building is getting under way. It also underpins the strong working relationship that exists between CommuniCare and the Ribble Valley Primary Care Group."

Picture: Martin Hill, chairman of Ribble Valley Primary Care Group, and CommuniCare chairman Sheila Maw cut the first sod for the outpatients' unit.