Barnsley’s trailblazing ‘Health on the High Street’ hub welcomes first patients

Barnsley’s revolutionary ‘Health on the High Street’ development welcomed its first patients this week to the new Alhambra health hub – bringing more convenient healthcare services to thousands of residents.

The development has been hailed as the UK’s largest relocation of hospital outpatient services outside a clinical setting. The project is transforming the first floor of the Alhambra Shopping Centre into a health and wellbeing hub, starting with Barnsley Hospital’s first outpatient appointments transferring to their new satellite centre in the heart of town.

This is the next phase in Barnsley’s town centre regeneration, which is already creating an example for other areas to follow up and down the country.

The first services to transfer to the Alhambra health and wellbeing hub, in the former Wilko store on the upper floor of the centre, are Ophthalmology, Optometry and Retinal Screening and this will be followed by Rheumatology, Dermatology and Orthotics. Other hospital outpatient services are due to move in early 2026 as part of a phased opening of the modern, innovative hub, which has been developed by a range of health and wellbeing partners and is due to be fully operational in 2028.

The Health on the High Street initiative is revolutionising how residents can access health and wellbeing services in Barnsley. It started over three years ago with the opening of the NHS Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) in the Glass Works, which has already made huge strides in improving healthcare access and patient satisfaction.

The CDC has been instrumental in reducing waiting times, increasing attendance rates for appointments and improving patient satisfaction, welcoming approximately 220,000 appointments to date for services like blood tests, ultrasounds and X-rays. It also saw a 22% increase in mammogram attendance and a 24% reduction in Do Not Attends (DNAs).

The facility has also boosted footfall in the town centre by an additional 50,000 per year.

Barnsley Hospital has worked alongside Barnsley Council to bring health services together in the hub. It's estimated that more than 100,000 visits a year could be made to the Alhambra instead of Barnsley Hospital. This will free up space and also alleviate parking issues at the hospital.

The new health and wellbeing hub was made possible after the Alhambra was bought by Barnsley Council with support from South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) to create a mixed-use centre, including the health and wellbeing hub alongside retail and leisure. The collaborative health and wellbeing hub aims to reduce pressure on existing healthcare facilities, improve access and quality of care and attract even more visitors to Barnsley town centre, boosting the local economy.

By attracting an additional 150,000 footfall per annum, the wider hub is expected to generate at least £1.5 million in additional visitor spend. Furthermore, it will challenge the 'hospital first' culture by encouraging residents to access non-emergency services in a different location, reducing dependency on acute settings.

Creating a Healthy Barnsley is a key ambition of Barnsley Council and its partners. It’s our aim that:

· everyone can enjoy life in good physical and mental health.

· fewer people live in poverty, and everyone has the resources they need to look after themselves and their families.

· people can access the right support at the right time and place and are able to tackle problems early.

· our diverse places are welcoming, supportive and adaptable.

Dr Richard Jenkins, Chief Executive of Barnsley Hospital, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to take this exciting opportunity to the final stages of development.

“We’ve been listening to what our patients, their families and our colleagues tell us and it’s clear that there is a real appetite for bringing more health services to a town centre location which is easy, convenient, modern and linked with other services and facilities.

“This means we can build on the success of the Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC), which has been incredibly well received by the people of Barnsley. Expanding the range of health and wellbeing services in the heart of our town centre, alongside the CDC, is going to deliver even more efficient and effective services, hugely enhancing people’s experiences and ultimately improving the lives of residents.”

Councillor Sir Steve Houghton CBE, Leader of Barnsley Council, said: “Health on the High Street is a trailblazing project, bringing even more of Barnsley’s health services into the heart of our town centre.

“I’m excited to see the first of Barnsley Hospital services moving into the Alhambra space, making it easier for people to get vital health checks, and I can’t wait for the space to continue growing its offer over the next few years.

“It’s building on the fantastic success story of Barnsley Hospital’s Community Diagnostic Centre in the Glass Works, which has seen huge improvements in the number of patients accessing vital, potentially life-saving appointments over the last three years. It’s another investment into the physical fabric of our town which is helping empower all our communities to thrive, and the feedback from patients has been fantastic.

“People understandably prefer coming into town to have their scan, where they can go on to enjoy a coffee and a bit of shopping in our fantastic town centre, over having to attend a traditional hospital setting.”