Scotland’s largest integrated health and social care facility opens in Glasgow

The Parkhead Hub was formally opened by First Minister John Swinney, who unveiled a commemorative plaque and joined local stakeholders, staff, and community representatives to celebrate the occasion. The event also honoured the late John Ferguson, a much-respected community campaigner, by naming the main conference room in his memory.

The result of partnership working between NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC), Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP), Glasgow City Council, and Glasgow Life, Parkhead Hub brings together a wide range of services previously spread across nine different sites, creating a single, modern building that acts as a central point of care, support, and community activity.

The facility co-locates GP practices, community pharmacy, dental services, children’s services, adult and older people’s social care, mental health teams, addictions support, homelessness and justice services, sexual health, and health-improvement teams. Community amenities include a relocated library, café, flexible meeting rooms, training spaces, and areas for third-sector groups.

Since opening to the public in January 2025, Parkhead Hub has been widely recognised for its innovation, design quality, and community impact. It is Scotland’s largest primary care facility and the first net-zero-in-operation building for the NHS Board, setting a new benchmark for sustainability and community benefit.

The project delivered over £19.5 million in social value locally, including apprenticeships, support for SMEs, and community projects.

The Hub has received multiple national honours, including Public Sector Project of the Year (UK) at the RICS Awards 2025, Project of the Year – New Build (UK) at the Design in Mental Health Awards 2025, Glasgow Institute of Architects Awards for Best Healthcare Project, Best Sustainability Project, and Supreme Award, and Building Better Healthcare Awards: Gold Award for Patient’s Choice and Silver Awards for Best External Environment/Landscaping and Best Healthcare Development (£25–£75m).

John Swinney, the First Minister of Scotland, said: “Our plan to improve our NHS is working - long waits of over 52 weeks have fallen for five consecutive months, the number of operations performed are at their highest since January 2020 and GP numbers continue to rise.

“We know there is more to do to ensure people get the help they need when they need it. That’s we are focused on shifting how care is delivered, moving from acute settings in hospitals to community settings like the Parkhead Hub.

“The Hub, supported by £67m Scottish Government funding, is an excellent example of how we are delivering health and social care services in a more convenient way- with general practice, community pharmacy, mental health services and homelessness support in one place.

“This kind of whole family support – bringing together all the services people need under one roof – will be key in ensuring that people get the care and support they need from the NHS in their local community.”

Dr Lesley Thomson KC, chair of NHSGGC, said: “Parkhead Hub marks a step-change in how we deliver health and social care, bringing services together to better support communities and reflecting our Transforming Together vision of care closer to home.

“This achievement is the result of incredible collaboration across public, third-sector and community partners. Scotland’s largest primary care facility and our first net-zero building, Parkhead Hub sets a new benchmark for integrated care.”

Glasgow Institute of Architects Awards

The opening follows the Hub being recognised as a landmark achievement in healthcare design and delivery.

At the Glasgow Institute of Architects (GIA) Awards last month, Parkhead Hub claimed the Best Healthcare Project, Best Sustainability Project, and Supreme Award – the top accolade of the evening.

Further national recognition was received in October as it was named Best Public Sector Project at the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) UK Grand Final.

Earlier in June, it was named Project of the Year – UK New Build at the Design for Mental Health Awards.

Finally, at the Building Better Healthcare (BBH) Awards, it received a Gold Award for Patient’s Choice and Silver Awards for Best External Environment/Landscaping and Best Healthcare Development (£25–£75m).

The Hub is Scotland’s largest primary care facility, transforming access to health, social care and community services for the North East of Glasgow. These honours celebrate the Hub’s innovative, sustainable design and its role in creating a welcoming, inclusive space for Glasgow.

It is also NHSGGC’s first net-zero in-operation facility, designed with high-quality materials, generous landscaping, and delivering over £19.5m in social value during construction.

Iain Marley, CEO at hub West, said: “Parkhead’s remarkable success is a powerful demonstration of what the long-term, trusted partnership between hub West Scotland and NHSGGC consistently delivers. Over 12 award-winning projects, we have continuously improved how we design, deliver and hand over complex health and social care facilities. A true place-based building including a community café, library and pharmacy.

“We are especially proud that hub West’s Parkhead community investment programme has generated £19.5m of social value, ensuring our projects create lasting benefit well beyond the building itself. Parkhead stands as the strongest example yet – a facility that reflects true collaboration and raises the bar for public sector development in Scotland.”

Jim Ward, BAM Construction regional director, said: “BAM is proud to have delivered Scotland’s first net-zero-in-operation primary care centre, the Parkhead Hub, in collaboration with NHS, GGC and hub West. This facility will reduce energy consumption and lower costs for the NHS, while contributing to a greener future through reduced carbon emissions.

“At BAM, we’re committed to supporting the communities where we operate, and we’re proud to have generated over £19.5m in social value during construction. This award-winning scheme will not only enhance healthcare provision for the local community but will continue to deliver lasting value for many years to come.”

Rory McCoy, Hoskins Architects architect, said: “This project is a culmination of Hoskins Architects’ work over several healthcare projects with NHSGGC as well as our experience in designing and delivering buildings to be used and enjoyed by the public.

“The design is in response to the evolution of how healthcare and social care work in tandem and respond to the needs of the community. It delights our whole team to see it gain national recognition from our peers, but more importantly, how it is being embraced by the Parkhead community for whom it is designed.”

Richard Mann, AECOM head of social infrastructure Europe and India, said: “AECOM are proud to have supported NHSGGC from the outset, providing Building Services and Civil and Structural Engineering expertise to help deliver this award-winning building. The positive difference it is already making is testament to a well-considered design that creates an accessible, light, airy and welcoming environment. I know this personally, as my own extended family use the building and benefit from the high-quality care it provides to the wider community.”

Douglas Barnes, Currie & Brown associate director, added: “The Currie & Brown team that provided cost management and principle designer services were delighted to provide the certainty required to deliver another successful project. Parkhead Hub was designed specifically with patient care in mind and the benefits it has delivered to the local community are clear to see in the short space of time the facility has been open. This is evidenced from the awards and recognition already received throughout the industry.

“We have delivered multiple new-build Health Centres with hWS and NHSGGC, and implemented lessons learned contributing to its successful delivery. Working collaboratively with the design team, contractor, and hWS we provided certainty to NHSGGC in terms of design, cost, and programme in a period of uncertainty during the height of COVID-19. Financial close was achieved on time, on budget and with the design intent maintained throughout.”