The new Hope House medical centre is now officially open - ribbon cutting and balloon popping - open. So Nub News went on to find out all about the new facility, which was first officially put on the planning board way back in November 2014, but has been needed by the community for a quarter of a century.

It has taken years to design, cost millions to deliver and has the support of countless community groups and professionals, not least the current staff who moved every piece of paper and thermometer from their old cramped site, to the new building, all in just 48 hours.

Medical centre GP Dr Alison Humphrey, who was one of those cutting the ribbon, said that the new centre will be a fit for purpose building, incorporating clinical excellence, local children's services, the health visitor team AND space for health volunteers and associations who have already met inside.

She thanked all those involved in building the new light airy building, from the clinical commissioners, through to the architects, to the Big Local and their lottery funding, of course all the staff, who worked tirelessly to get it ready for the switchover and finally locals, for all their support.

So what is the Hope House Centre like as an experience for patients and staff? We spoke to Senior Practice Nurse Helen Kilburn

" The key thing for patients is new accessibility. The old surgery had stairs, no lift, the doors were not wheel chair accessible or pram accessible. But the centre also brings together local services for the community.

" And patients can be reassured that while there was always total patient confidentiality, now all the rooms are secure, and all health conversations will be in total confidence. "

And for the staff - how does it feel to work in this lovely new building ?

" Staff knew that we were rapidly outgoing Hope House more than eight years ago, so all of us are just pleased to be in here (with the extra space). It is light and open and it is a good environment to work in . But we do understand that some people are wary of change.

" I have already had one patient who suffers from anxiety and they were not keen on the idea of coming to a new building, so what I suggested was an appointment first thing in the morning, with myself, with no other patients around. I met them at the front door, showed him around and into the new patient areas and did everything to reassure him .

" For two weeks we told every patient that their new appointment would be moving here, to this new surgery and if anyone came to the wrong building, we built in extra time into the clinics, so if they ran late we did not turn them away.

" We know that with all the new houses in Radstock there will be more patients who will need doctors and nurses. Quite simply we needed a bigger building to see all these patients in."

So what is actually on site - we took the tour.

On the lower floor - six GP consulting rooms - with four more GP rooms upstairs

A sub waiting room, a quieter space away from reception, a short walk for patients who have appointments with nursing staff

Two nurse consulting rooms plus two treatment rooms

A new minor operation room - with the possibility of an expansion of the existing services - such as vasectomy clinics- so patients would not need to travel as currently is the case, into Bath

A recovery room which is currently being used for blood testing

A separate staff entrance and a common room

On the second floor

An office for the practice manager and administrative staff

A dedicated room for incoming phone calls with patient confidentiality optimised

Staff lockers and showers (with medical staff encouraged to cycle or walk to work and there is a bike park on site)

Meeting rooms - for clinical meetings and possible training for staff, again keeping staff on site rather than them having to travel for professional courses

Rooms for the pharmacy team, rooms for the local health visitors - all with extra capacity

The Big Local Wellbeing Space. A place which can be used for all the community. They have already hosted sessions by the National Diabetes Prevention team

Childrens' Services - a meeting room and offices with a special focus on the teams working with younger ages including a lovely area for the Under 5s... just look how lovely this is!