This new circa 3,900m2 integrated health and social care centre is located in Rhymney. It is a third party developer led multi-agency project for MedicX. Their principle tenants are the Aneurin Bevan Health Board, Caerphilly County Borough Council and two local GP practices. It comprises:
- A 10 GP GMS facility split between two General Practices
- A 12 bed inpatient ward
- An optometry suite
- A dental suite
- A podiatry suite
- District Nurses base
- Local Authority shared consulting, clinical and meeting rooms
- An office base for Social Services Teams for Children and Families
- Mental Health Services Team base
- Older Persons Team base
- Therapy led day services for the Elderly
- Health promotion
The design focuses on providing an intuitive response to its context and character setting to enhance the building stock of exemplar healthcare developments in Wales. The design understands and responds to the existing townscape culture of Rhymney. Local distinctiveness is important given the location and key position within Rhymney and the nearby Conservation Area. It is intended to be easily recognisable and innovative as a local landmark to the community in which it serves.
Quality robust materials, have been selected due to the unique site setting and industrial heritage. Cropped pennant blue stone provides a plinth to the building rising out of the ground and promotes the use of quality local natural products. The use of off-white render with a warm accent render to the lower ground floor entrance and courtyard takes cues from buildings on Rhymney High Street and the Conservation Area generally. Finally, the profiled metal roof and copper effect profiled cladding adds a tactile quality to the building.