'Sensational' health centre opens after 14-year journey

The MP for Arundel and South Downs said: "What a sensational and exciting building this is. "Bringing services closer to local people, must be the right direction of travel in healthcare, with doctors travelling to patients rather than patients to doctors '“ provided, of course, that we maintain the acute services that people want to see in their local hospitals."

Chairman of Horsham District Council, Cllr John Bailey, said the new centre had first-class facilities and was a great example of a best values funding arrangement.

The funding for the new build development project had been enabled by Horsham District Council, which bought the land and commissioned the building contract. The building was leased back to the Primary Care Trust.

Also taking part in the opening ceremony was John Wilderspin, chief executive of West Sussex Primary Care Trust, who said a lot of hard work had gone into the project.