Ms Sturgeon, the Deputy First Minister, officially opened the new Glassgreen Centre in New Elgin on Monday.

She was given a tour of the new NHS Grampian facility and met staff at the centre, which is at the heart of the Elgin South development masterplan.

The 3,000 square metre Glassgreen Centre includes the Linkwood Medical Practice, which has five GP partners and four other salaried GPs covering 11,400 patients. It was previously the Victoria Crescent Medical Centre prior to relocating to the new facility.

It also includes a dental surgery, pharmacy, physiotherapy unit, social work offices, minor surgery unit, podiatry and chiropody facilities, a dietician and accommodation for speech therapy and child development services.

The Rowan Centre, a child and adolescent mental health service, is also located within the new centre.

It has 120 staff in total and NHS Grampian expects up to 500 patients to visit the centre every day.

Ms Sturgeon admitted she had been "blown away" by the centre.

"It is a beautiful facility. It is spacious, bright and airy and feels like somewhere you would want to come to and be comfortable in," she said.

"Even the most beautiful building is only as important as what happens once you get there, and the range of services provided from here is impressive."

She said it was a good example of how to deliver an integrated health and social care service.

"The real benefit is to the patients who can come here and find all these services under one roof. The fact that it brings together NHS and social care staff is wonderful.

Nicola Sturgeon shares a joke with David Cameron (centre), NHS Grampian chairman and Alex Bruce, Linkwood Medical Centre practice manager. NS

"In the past, from a patient point of view it might have felt as if public services were designed and delivered to serve the people delivering them rather than the needs of the patient users.

"This is a fantastic example of how services are being delivered in a much more joined up way," she added.

Built by Springfield, the centre is leased back to the NHS by AW and JG Adam, which is owned by Springfield chairman Sandy Adam. It was designed by Mackie Ramsay Taylor of Aberdeen.

John Main, Springfield managing director, said: "With this building we have enhanced our reputation by delivering a high quality and complex product on time and to budget.

"There have been many challenges along the way and the team has risen to each challenge to achieve this excellent building which makes a lasting contribution to the landscape of New Elgin and to the improvement of health services in Elgin.

"The end result is a great reflection of Springfield's philosophy of working together to deliver the highest standards at every level."

Andrew Fowlie, NHS general manager in Moray, said: "Having everything congregated in the one place works very well when you have a sizeable population. Many of the services here are providing a Moray-wide service."

And NHS Grampian chairman David Cameron commented: "This is a fantastic example of what we are striving to do in Grampian and what Scotland should be striving to do all over the country."

c.saunderson@northern-scot.co.uk

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