Not just a health centre to help thousands but a beacon of hope for the future

A state-of-the-art community diagnostic centre is to be opened to provide a range of different tests during a single visit for patients, reducing travel and the number of appointments for people who are waiting to be seen.
As well as providing x-ray, MRI, CT and ultrasound scans, the CDC will offer, blood tests, and other tests to assess heart and lung problems. The range of scans and tests the CDC can offer will help with the diagnosis and treatment of people with a range of conditions, from cancer to joint problems.
It is all part of a ground-breaking agreement for the NHS in the South West which will create a series of fixed and mobile diagnostic centres across the region to speed up treatment, reduce waiting lists and provide care closer to home for people in remoter areas.
What's more in Torquay it will mean transforming one of the town's eyesores, replacing a former supermarket and video hire shop on the corner of Market Street with the diagnostic centre.
Torbay MP Kevin Foster said: "I welcome the Government announcement that a new community diagnostic centre will open in Market Street, in the heart of Torquay Town Centre, next year.
"The project will not only see new health facilities created, but regenerate a large derelict site in the town centre, bringing with it vital footfall for neighbouring businesses. The new facility will increase diagnostic capacity and reduce waiting times, with state-of-the-art equipment to deliver MRI, CT, ultrasound, X-ray, echocardiography, ECG, lung function, sleep studies and holter tests and scans. Once fully operational, the CDC will have capacity to deliver up to 36,971 checks, tests and scans a year. It will be fully opening in 2024."
The new Torquay facility is one of 13 new community diagnostic centres being launched across the country as part of government plans to cut NHS waiting lists. CDCs focus on treating patients that feature most predominantly on the elective and cancer backlogs including those with breast, prostate, lung and bowel cancer. A temporary site in Newton Abbot will open in December to provide the service until the main site is ready in Torquay next year.
Mr Foster said: "Two of the issues raised most regularly with me are our NHS services and the state of Torquay town centre, so it is great to have an announcement which will benefit both. This investment will not only bring better health facilities and services to our bay, but see a derelict site regenerated as part of getting the wider Torquay Town Deal regeneration plans under way.
"Using a town centre location helps reduce pressure on infrastructure at the Torbay Hospital site such as car parking, whilst also bringing vital additional footfall into the town centre to support wider regeneration plans. The prospect of securing this investment into the town centre is something Conservative councillors and I have pushed for some time. Clear commitments to deliver the regeneration of Torquay town centre and projects under the £21.9m Torquay Town Deal from the new Conservative administration at Torbay Council have helped secure this result."
Dr Eileen Deakin, local GP and NHS Devon’s clinical lead for diagnostics, said: “We know it can be a worrying time when you need a test – the new centre will be in a convenient location and will help local people and clinicians get a faster diagnosis. Locating the centre in the community also helps our main hospitals to focus more on complex cases and on urgent and emergency care.”
It has been quite a week for investment. Not long after the NHS investment boost came news of the sale of Torquay's world-famous Kents Cavern which was on the market for up to £2.5million. The new owners are Tudor Hotels who run what is now the Bodmin Jail popular attraction and hotel as well as owning the Redcliffe Hotel in Paignton.
CEO Rob Cox said: "It’s wonderful to be actively engaged in bringing the rich history of England to people from all over the world."
Now former Kents Cavern owner Nick Powe said: "This investment is yet another demonstration that the English Riviera is well on track to become one of the best visitor destinations in Britain, and Kents Cavern will be playing a significant part in that."
There was also some confidence-boosting news from Brixham-based celeb chef and Rockfish restaurant chain boss Mitch Tonks.
His plans for new restaurants in Sidmouth, Topsham and Salcombe are all progressing.
Rockfish’s planned new opening in Salcombe will be its second restaurant in the South Hams resort. It also has sites in Brixham, Dartmouth, Exeter, Exmouth, Plymouth and Torquay, as well as Poole and Weymouth in Dorset.
Massive new investments and massive votes of confidence in the area.
Torquay, especially, needs it and the pressure is mounting for some of those projects sitting under the Town Deal banner to be delivered.
I took a quick look down town the other day and it wasn't good. One woman was lying across the pavement near Castle Circus the worse for wear through drink or drugs and down the town a group of men were stood merrily drinking their cans of beer. Ironically, they were in Market Street not far away from where the new health facility is being built as one of our beacons of hope for the future....