Dominic Bareham THE crash and bang of falling concrete could be heard around Great Yarmouth on Monday as work began to demolish the Greyfriars Clinic and replace it with a new seven- day-a-week health centre.

Dominic Bareham

THE crash and bang of falling concrete could be heard around Great Yarmouth on Monday as work began to demolish the Greyfriars Clinic and replace it with a new seven- day-a-week health centre.

Diggers began dismantling the derelict clinic in Howard Street South to make way for the portable buildings which will house the walk-in health centre for three years while the permanent centre is built next door.

Once completed, the NHS Yarmouth and Waveney family clinic will be two or three storeys high and will include the conversion of the neighbouring Ship Inn.

A spokeswoman for NHS Yarmouth and Waveney said: “A range of services will be provided from the centre, which will complement existing services and provide additional capacity to address the health needs of patients who live in the area.

“Once work is complete later in the summer, the centre will open seven days a week throughout the year from 8am to 8pm and will offer appointments as well as a walk-in service.”

The services on offer are set to include blood tests, minor surgery, cervical screening, drug and alcohol services, weight management, stop smoking and sexual health advice. Vaccinations and ECG tests will also be available.

The borough council granted planning permission for the centre in December to replace the old Greyfriars Clinic which had stood derelict since December 2005. Its leaking roof and cracked brickwork made renovation unlikely.

In November, borough council deputy leader Barry Stone welcomed the plans, saying: “It is an area where there is an identified need and the fact it is going to be a walk-in clinic should make it a lot easier for people to use when they need it.”