The new building has risen like a phoenix from the ashes of the old site, in Tanyard Lane, Steyning, and is now ready to be occupied.

Services and staff will move from their temporary home, in Fletcher's Croft car park, on Thursday and Friday next week – August 28 and 29 – with people urged to be patient during the move.

Steyning Health Centre will be closed completely on both days, with the Upper Beeding surgery handling emergency consultations only, and people asked to be patient during the move.

The new Tanyard Lane site will open at 10am on Monday, with the Out of Hours service initially fielding calls to allow any last-minute glitches to be ironed out on-site and staff to find their way around.

Practice manager Diane Taylor said: "We are going to be open whatever state we are in. There are so many different rooms, everyone has got to find out where everything is."

Mrs Taylor stressed the Beeding surgery would only be dealing with emergencies during the move, and urged even people wanting repeat prescriptions to wait until after the weekend.

Computers are unlikely to be up and running at the new site, meaning staff would be unable to help people calling about test results or hospital letters.

Mrs Taylor said: "We tried not to book any appointments, so we can see everyone who really needs to be seen. We just want to ask people to be patient with us."

She added the Fletcher's Croft huts which housed the health centre had provided a good temporary home and, once vacated, work would start on removing them.

"The cabins have worked incredibly well. We don't think there is anything we haven't been able to do," said Mrs Taylor. "They are hoping they will be off the car park before the school is back.

"They had to put electricity, water and sewers into the middle of the car park, so they have got to cap all that off. It's a pretty big job.

"It's exciting, going into this huge building. We might not be able to find each other!"

For more information on the changes and services available – and not available – during the move, visit www.steyninghealthcentre.co.uk

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