World Apr 16, 2026 · 1 min read

Future of the NHS, saviour of the high street? High hopes for health hub in a Barnsley shopping centre

Transfer of medical services from hospital to former Wilko store is improving healthcare access and boosting footfallIt is a revolution that might just save the NHS – and the high street. Imagine being able to have your eyes tested, mole examined or get an appointment with a consultant without going...

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The Guardian
by Denis Campbell Health policy editor
Future of the NHS, saviour of the high street? High hopes for health hub in a Barnsley shopping centre

Transfer of medical services from hospital to former Wilko store is improving healthcare access and boosting footfall

It is a revolution that might just save the NHS – and the high street. Imagine being able to have your eyes tested, mole examined or get an appointment with a consultant without going to your local hospital – and maybe fit in some shopping or a cinema visit afterwards.

That, increasingly, is what people in Barnsley are doing after an unprecedented relocation of medical services from the district general hospital into a purpose-built outpatients centre in the Alhambra shopping centre, which is getting a new lease of life thanks to the experiment.

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This article was originally published by The Guardian and written by Denis Campbell Health policy editor.

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