A NEW dedicated hub for children’s services has opened in Bury town centre.

Bury Living Well Centre, in Morley Street, brings together a number of services provided by Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust, as well as providing additional clinic and treatment rooms.

The services moving to the new hub are paediatric physiotherapy, occupational therapy, paediatric speech and language therapy and a community eye service for both adults and children.

Jo Williamson, business development manager at Pennine Care, said bringing these children’s services together in a single location will improve partnership working between teams, reduce building costs and ensure all services are in a central location with good transport links.

And Stuart Richardson, service director at Pennine Care, added: “The services were previously at Fairfield Hospital, so this will be better because they will be based centrally.

“This will make it easier for families to access the services by bringing them into the community.”

Mr Richardson said going to hospital can be an anxious experience for some children.

“This will be a more relaxed environment, with a play area and a café for example,” said Mr Richardson. “These services are providing more long-term care for families and can be a positive experience.”

Pennine Care is also encouraging community groups to use the new building free of charge, as well as offering it to police for neighbourhood meetings and MPs and councillors for surgeries.

Mr Richardson added: “We want as many people as possible to access the building and its facilities.”