The Ministry of Defence and the NHS will open a joint healthcare facility that will treat military personnel and the public in North Yorkshire.
Catterick Integrated Care Centre is being built within Catterick Garrison – the largest British Army garrison in the world, covering 2,400 acres and home to more than 14,000 military personnel – and will open next year.
The £110m first-of-its-kind health partnership will employ more than 300 medical personnel from the MoD and the NHS and will treat up to 1,000 people a day, around 75% of whom will be military patients.
The CICC is intended to be a model of innovation for future joint Ministry of Defence and NHS healthcare initiatives, according to an announcement by Strategic Command, which manages allocated joint armed forces capabilities.
It will provide primary healthcare to the Catterick Army Garrison and personnel from the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force based in the area, along with their families.
The centre will also provide opportunities for training.
Colonel Tariq Ahmad, regional clinical director at Defence Primary Healthcare (North), described the centre as a “coordinated approach to building better outcomes for the whole community”.
Services on offer will include primary care, rehabilitation, mental health support and specialist treatments. Military personnel, their families and members of the local population will all be treated at the same location.
“This centre is a great investment in our local community, with a bold and ambitious vision to approach care in an integrated way, working collaboratively with primary and secondary care, local authority and public health services for the benefit of our patients,” Ahmad said.
Construction firm Tilbury Douglas was awarded the contract to build the CICC in 2021.
The firm's regional director for Yorkshire and the Northeast, Paul Ellenor, said the centre "reflects the strength of collaboration between the Ministry of Defence, the NHS and delivery partners".
"This pioneering facility will not only transform access to healthcare for both military and civilian communities, but also set a new standard for integrated service delivery," he added.
Engagement sessions and open days will take place over the coming months to inform members of the community about the services the CICC will provide.