Wester Hailes Healthy Living Centre

“This is an excellent, state-of-the-art facility that will be of real benefit to the people of Wester Hailes and surrounding communities. As a ‘one-stop-shop’ for health and social care services, it will not only be convenient but will deliver a first-class level of care to people of all ages.”

Councillor Ricky Henderson, Convener for Health & Social Care

Date

2013

Client

City of Edinburgh Council / NHS Lothian developed via Hub South East Scotland

Value

£10m

Wester Hailes Healthy Living Centre is a landmark development and a major new community facility of civic importance for the Wester Hailes Community providing accommodation for a range of services previously accommodated in separate premises throughout the area, including:

CEC departments for Health & Social Care, Children & Families and Criminal Justice (which administers and caters for people sentenced to undertake community service)

A health agency providing support for people in a deprived environment including working garden space and tools

A community café

Shared, bookable meeting rooms that would also be used by CEC for Tribunals

Accommodation for city-wide social support services

A medical practice

Dental, podiatry and physiotherapy services

The development of a design solution involved a high degree of consultation with the many and varied stakeholders to establish department requirements, their method of service delivery and how they should relate to each other within an integrated environment.

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The Challenge

‘To create a community setting for a range of therapeutic, social and care services, making them more accessible and inter-related while ensuring that they adopt a holistic approach to health and well-being’. (City of Edinburgh Council, 2008)

The Solution

The design solution incorporates a central ‘street’ with dual public entrances at each end – maximising accessibility to the wider community. Courtyard gardens are incorporated, bringing natural ventilation and daylight into departments that are accessed from the street, providing a controlled arrangement that is flexible in use.

The Outcome

The new centre provides an uplifting environment for staff working and patient care and a major civic hub for Wester Hailes. Significant social and wider community benefits have also been delivered including new public realm and significantly improved pedestrian links beneath the adjacent railway line to a major shopping centre.