Local Improvement Finance Trust (LIFT)

The Local Improvement Finance Trust (LIFT) Initiative

LIFT is a Government initiative that brings together Primary Care Trusts (PCTs), Department of Health investment and partnerships with the private sector. It enables organisations that provide health and community services to access investment resources and expertise through the establishment of partnerships with the private sector.

One of NHS Oxfordshire’s longer term goals is to provide modern one-stop health centres, combining NHS, social care and community services under one roof.

We have begun a 25-year programme to replace out-of-date healthcare buildings in Oxford city with purpose-built centres. Around £23 million is being invested in our first phase to modernise and develop two centres at east Oxford and Blackbird Leys.

Oxford Infracare LIFT Limited

A partnership has been formed with Oxford City Council, Oxfordshire County Council and other NHS trusts with a shared vision for the development and significant redesign of health and social care services in Oxford city. Part of this vision means building better and more flexible accommodation to deliver health, social care, housing, leisure and community services that are integrated and designed around community needs in a manner fit for 21st century care.

In November 2004, a company called Oxford Infracare LIFT Limited was established to invest in, develop and deliver improved healthcare and community facilities in the city over the next 25 years.

In November 2005, the partnership published its second edition of a Strategic Service Development Plan for the city of Oxford, setting out priority areas for possible future development.

Oxford Infracare LIFT Limited is a company established to invest in, develop and deliver improved healthcare and community premises in the city.

The shareholders of the company are:

NHS Oxfordshire
Partnerships for Health (a joint venture between the Department of Health and Partnerships UK)
Private sector partner Infracare (South West) Ltd.

Current developments

Dunnock Way, Blackbird Leys, Oxford

At Dunnock Way, Blackbird Leys, in Oxford, a £3 million health centre has been built to house the GP practice and community nursing team along with other services including podiatry, speech and language therapy, a pharmacy and advice and counselling services formerly in Blackbird Leys Road.

The health centre, which took around eleven months to build, has been open for business since the beginning of February 2006 and replaces the cramped buildings of the old health centre in Blackbird Leys Road, which became overcrowded as patient numbers grew from 6,000 to 9,000.

East Oxford Health Centre

A new £13 million East Oxford Health Centre is also being developed in Manzil Way, Oxford and will accommodate GP practices and community health services which are currently relocated at Raglan House, Temple Cowley. The project will provide residents of East Oxford with a brand new campus-style development housing two GP practices, a dental access centre, baby clinic, community nursing unit, pharmacy, physiotherapy services, key worker accommodation and a community café.

Existing East Oxford health centre services moved to Raglan House in Cowley in 2005 for the duration of the building project which is due to be completed early in 2007.