Willesden Centre for Health and Care, Willesden

Role: Architecture

Value: £15 million

Willesden Centre for Health and Care is PRP’s first completed PFI healthcare project.

Careful design and planning allowed the new centre to be built on only half of the area occupied by the original Willesden Community Hospital. A decant scheme allowed the running of the hospital to be retained during the construction period. The remaining area was released for a housing development (also designed by PRP) on completion of the Centre for Health and Care. The Centre for Health and Care was procured, and is occupied, by Brent PCT, North West London Hospitals NHS Trust and Brent, Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster Mental Health Trust.

The centre replaces the previous Willesden Community Hospital and Pound Lane Clinic, and provides a one stop centre for the local community. Services provided include: inpatient services for older people and young people with disabilities; mental health services; outpatient and diagnostic services; an imaging suite; community nursing; occupational and physiotherapy; dental and chiropody; general practice and voluntary services. The 72 bed residential component of the centre comprises a rehabilitation care facility for older people which includes en-suite bedrooms, communal lounges, dining rooms and training kitchens and bathrooms to help residents re-learn daily living skills. The entire scheme is designed to avoid an overtly institutional appearance.

The building has been designed to sit comfortably with the surrounding residential fabric, avoiding an overly institutional appearance. The residential wings are designed to echo terraced housing, whilst the day care component of the centre is designed in a contrasting crisp contemporary style. These two distinct elements of the building are linked by internal courtyards that provide a safe, quiet and pleasant outdoor living space for patients and staff.