An exciting new era has begun for a community healthcare provider.
East Coast Community Healthcare (ECCH) moved into its new headquarters in Lowestoft today (Monday) following the £1.25million purchase and redevelopment of a landmark building in Lowestoft.
About 100 administrative staff moved into their new base in Hamilton House, on Battery Green Road, and they will be joined by clinical personnel who previously worked out of bases elsewhere in Lowestoft.
The social enterprise, which provides NHS community health services across Norfolk and Suffolk, now has a 12,500sq ft office space with meeting rooms, conference and training facilities plus further space to introduce additional amenities in the future.
ECCH chief executive Jonathan Williams said: 'For an organisation like us, to be based at the heart of the community is really important. It is raising the profile that all staff are under one roof in an incredible location.
Lowestoft is a fantastic place and as investment comes in to the town we want to be part of it. Our staff council, which is made up of representatives from every service we run, has been heavily involved in the design project and I'm really proud that we've been able to provide the people who will be working in Hamilton House with the work environment they want and that they will look forward to coming to every day.'
ECCH currently provides 36 NHS services. Its latest ventures include taking over the running of four GP surgeries – one of which is Kirkley Mill in Lowestoft – building on the success of its ground-breaking Lowestoft 'Out of Hospital' team with the launch of two new teams in Great Yarmouth, and setting up a new children's nursery in Beccles with plans approved for a possible second to be built in Kessingland.
As a social enterprise, ECCH uses any surplus money and resources for the benefit of local communities.
Hamilton House is also the base for Custom Kitchens Lowestoft – a design and installation company who supply kitchens, bedrooms and living furniture across East Anglia. It will remain a tenant of ECCH in a retail space on the ground floor and also part of the first floor. Geoff Price, owner of Customs Kitchens Lowestoft, said: 'We are delighted that ECCH have bought Hamilton House. It's a well known local building and it's great to see it being revived after so much of it has been empty for a long time. It's a very exciting time for us and for Lowestoft.'
? Have you got a Lowestoft story? Email mark.boggis@archant.co.uk
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