Two years on: Highley Health and Wellbeing Centre bringing more services to the local community

27 February 2026

Almost two years after opening at the Severn Centre, the Highley Health and Wellbeing Centre is already making a positive difference for local residents by expanding access to health and wellbeing services.

Naomi Roche, Healthy Population Lead at Shropshire Public Health, and Penny Bason, former Head of Service and Joint Partnerships at Shropshire Council, worked with Dr Jess Harvey, Clinical Director of the South-East Shropshire Primary Care Network, to explore how local services could better meet community needs.

With GP practices lacking capacity to host additional clinics, the partners developed a dedicated space for clinical and wellbeing support. Dr Jess Harvey said:

“You think of the NHS 10 Year Plan and the shift towards neighbourhood working, but actually we were ahead of the curve - we started this three years ago.”

The centre brings a wide range of services together in one modern, accessible location, including mental health support and women’s health services. This approach helps residents access care closer to home, supports early intervention, and reduces the need to travel.

Naomi Roche said: “There’s no single model for a neighbourhood health hub - it’s shaped by what the community needs. It’s about providing holistic, wraparound support.”

The centre opened in April 2024, with additional consultation rooms enabling a much broader range of services.

Jess explained:“We now have a first contact physiotherapy, mental health support, clinical pharmacy and social prescribing. There are drop-in clinics for health visitors, sexual health and smoking cessation, and we’ve worked with women’s health hubs to deliver menopause talks. The centre also supports wider community, including groups for older residents, families, and people living with dementia”.

“Having the NHS, local authority, parish council and community working towards a shared goal has shown what can be achieved”.

The Highley Health and Wellbeing Centre demonstrates how partnership working can strengthen local health provision, with further services expected to develop in the future.

To view the video about the project, click here.