Andover Health Hub celebrates expansion as it continues to go from strength to strength
Key project partners came together on Thursday 11 September to celebrate the newly expanded facilities at the Andover Health Hub in the Chantry Centre, which represents a major investment in the town’s journey towards more joined-up, community-based healthcare.
Located diagonally opposite Boswell’s Café, the changes have seen it expand into the neighbouring unit to create a new reception area, 12 new consulting rooms, group workspace and shared office space.
This has paved the way for the relocation of the Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) and Older People’s Mental Health Team (OPMH), adding to the existing services on offer which include NHS health checks for those aged 40 to 74, COVID-19 vaccinations, prostate cancer screening and pharmacy appointments.
The cost of the expansion has been met by a £260k UK Shared Prosperity Fund government grant, which has been provided by Test Valley Borough Council, with additional funding coming from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.
Managing Director of the Mid and North Division at Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Nicky MacDonald, said: “The health hub continues to be a beacon of collaborative working between NHS and local authority partners. It has paved the way for others to transform their approach to delivering healthcare services locally, focusing on the value of place and taking services out to residents in the heart of their communities, rather than relying on traditional GP surgeries and hospital settings.”
The hub started life as a covid vaccination centre set up by the NHS and Test Valley Borough Council (TVBC) in 2021. Following positive feedback from staff and users, the NHS and TVBC recognised the opportunity to create a more permanent health facility in the heart of the town centre.
After undergoing renovation work, it reopened in January 2023 as Andover Health Hub, enabling residents to drop in for blood pressure and other health checks in a bid to alleviate pressure on local GP practices.
The work to expand the hub started in February 2025 and is a joint venture between Hampshire and Isle of Wight NHS Healthcare Foundation Trust, TVBC, the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board (ICB), and Andover Primary Care Network (PCN).
Since January 2023, the Andover PCN has delivered upwards of 14,000 appointments from the hub, helping to prevent and diagnose conditions early and improve lives locally.
Leader of Test Valley Borough Council, Councillor Phil North, said: “This is an amazing facility for local residents and the expansion is testament to the health hub’s success and the hard work of all those partners who have come together over the years to deliver and expand the hub.
“We know from engaging with residents through community-led processes such as Andover Vision that having access to good quality local healthcare is a priority. Working with our NHS colleagues has given us the opportunity to create a truly fantastic facility that continues to grow its offering in a brilliant location. An added benefit for local businesses has been the increased footfall, evidencing that the positive impact of the health hub has been felt far and wide.”
James Roach, Director of Primary and Local Care at NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight, said: “The health hub in Andover is a fantastic example of how we’re working with our local authority partners to expand the range of health services that will keep people well and out of hospital. Centres like this are part of our plan to focus on prevention and provide more care closer to people’s home, as outlined in the new ten-year plan for the NHS. It’s wonderful to see the health hub continuing to grow, making it easier for patients in Andover to access more care options in one place."
Dr Kate Elliott, Andover GP and Clinical Director at Andover Primary Care Network, added: “By enabling more patients to access appointments in an accessible, town-centre location, this facility has alleviated pressure on GP services, helping to increase appointment capacity across all five of Andover’s practices. We’re also delighted that a recent comprehensive service review has confirmed that the health hub is financially sustainable, contributing to the overall financial resilience of our member practices.”
To find out more about the health hub, visit: www.andoverpcn.co.uk/our-services/health-hub/
If you'd like to hear from some of the project partners, there is a video available here: https://youtu.be/KmjASBwD-5U