A NEW health hub - committed to improving the health and wellbeing of communities - has opened its doors in Barrow.

Circular1 Health, a Barrow based UK-wide diagnostic and testing provider, is the company behind the hub at the Waterfront Gateway Business Park.

It will provide a site where individuals from Barrow and the surrounding areas can receive a health check to support the improvement of the health and wellbeing of local communities.

Circular1 Health is also running a proactive health and wellbeing programme pilot for local businesses. The pilot, which will be independently monitored, will seek to show that a proactive and interventionist approach to workforce wellbeing will improve workforce health, productivity, and regional health overall. Circular1 is inviting up to 20 businesses to participate in the pilot.

The Barrow Health Hub is being launched in collaboration with an independent and well respected review body. This body will monitor and assess the economic and social impact of the programme for each business, and evidence a clear return on investment.

The programme will include a health questionnaire covering physical and mental health, followed by a consultation with a clinician, delivered at the Waterfront Gateway Business Park.

The clinicians will provide discreet, personalised results and advice. Circular1 Health will also offer a dedicated Care Management service that supports anyone requiring further investigation or treatment, as well as offering support on lifestyle improvements that can improve general health and wellbeing and prevent more serious issues later in life.

Barrow and Furness MP Simon Fell said: “From small acorns mighty oaks grow. And I very much hope we will see a flourishing, healthy tree as a result of this initiative. Preventative healthcare is essential.

"Rather than spending all of our time and our precious resources at points of crisis, the goal has to be to stop crises developing in the first place: spotting where small interventions now will limit the need for operations, or for a lifetime of medication. The Barrow Health Hub offers that promise and I look forward to watching it grow in the years to come.”

Stuart MacLennan, Circular 1 Health CEO, said: “We are delighted to launch the Barrow Health Hub. At Circular 1, we are committed to improving the health of the local region and today is a significant step towards that goal. Through our programme, local businesses will be able to experience firsthand the economic and social impact of a proactive approach to healthcare. We can’t wait for the results of the pilot!”