AFTER years in the making, a brand new £3.1million doctors surgery welcomed the first patients through the doors this week.

The Four Shires Medical Centre, which has been built in front of the North Cotswold Hospital, in the Fosseway, Moreton, opened on Monday after nearly a year of construction.

Catering for 9,000 patients in Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, Warwickshire and Oxfordshire, the building has a shared waiting area for the White House and Mann Cottage GP practices, which both have their own dispensaries.

The new purpose-built facilities will pool resources for a minor operating rooms, offer a psychiatric clinic, community health visitors, district nurses, physiotherapy and will share IT.

The two practices say the move will offer a more joined-up and efficient way of working, with a wider range of facilities offered from their new joint site.

The new centre will house consultants for outreach clinics along with a community mental health team and has 44 car parking spaces with overflow space for patients and a coffee shop.

Dr Chris Morton, of White House Surgery, said so far the new facilities have been well received by the first patients through the doors.

He added that the new facilities will bring about many benefits for patients and staff alike.

“Everyone has been positive that’s spoken to me,” he said.

“I’m pleased with the space. It’s easier to meet and talk in the corridors which is really good, you can bump into people all the time.

“One of the things we wanted from this building is better communication. It works.”

Built by Bristol-based Seddon Construction Ltd, the building was designed by Gloucester-based architects Roberts Limbrick Ltd to mirror the hospital behind.

“They’ve done well,” said Dr Morton. “They finished on time and on budget.

“Some people I’ve spoken to are not very keen on the outside but the service inside is much snappier.

“The black copper cladding will age and mellow in a few years.”

The new facilities have been in the pipeline since as far back as 1996.

Phone numbers for the medical practices have remained the same, so people can still book appointments exactly how they did before.

Now it has opened its doors, the medical centre is looking for gardening volunteers willing to lend a hand tending the five acres of landscaped grounds surrounding the building.

The medical centre is looking for volunteer gardeners to look after the five acres of landscaping around the building.

Anyone interested should call the surgery on 01608 650317.