A BLACKBURN health centre has opened following its half-a-million pound refurbishment.

The revamped Bentham Road Health Centre in Mill Hill, serves the whole of south west Blackburn.

It now boasts a two-storey extension with an additional three GP consulting rooms, two treatment or minor ops rooms and office accommodation.

The work, which was carried out over 19 weeks at a cost of £528,000, has also seen the existing building remodelled to create a GP0 library, an administration office and a storeroom.

A new reception counter has been created and an energy efficient gas boiler installed with a new heating system.

And a new pitched roof has been built over both the old building and the extension with a new external finish and external bin store.

The centre was officially opened by Blackburn with Darwen Council’s Mayor, Councillor Karimeh Foster.

She said: “I think that it’s a very good idea to have a health centre like this in the community, near where people live.

“There are quite a lot of services they can get from there, not just from the doctors themselves.

“I believe they also have drug and diabetic services and some social services.

"This is another good example of the care trust plus and council working together.

“I think people should be proud to have a centre of very good quality and make sure they use it for their health benefit.”

The new health centre will also house The Cornerstone Practice and two GPs, Doctor Adam Black and Doctor Naomi Chadwick.

Cornerstone Healthcare is a community interest company, which means that any profits made are ploughed back into serving the community.