Worthing Integrated Care Centre to remain unoccupied until autumn

When fully occupied, the £45million centre – dubbed the WICC – will become the first of its kind in Sussex, providing a range of NHS services on the one site in Stoke Abbott Road.

Dental services will be provided by Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust, Worthing Medical Group will run GP services, and mental health services will be provided by Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.

But NHS services are yet to move in more than six months after Worthing Borough Council took possession of the building, following snagging issues and the discovery of legionella bacteria, which can cause Legionnaires’ disease, a potentially serious lung infection.

The WICC is due to be discussed at a meeting of Adur and Worthing councils’ joint strategic committee on Tuesday, July 8. Documents, published ahead of the meeting, show councillors will be asked to approve an increase of the capital budget for the project by £574,690 ‘to enable completion’.

The committee will also be updated on progress towards NHS services moving into the WICC, ‘and the technical work to resolve outstanding issues that have prevented occupation, in particular issues with the water management system and the presence of legionella’.

The documents say the building was signed off as ready for occupation on December 3, 2024, ‘having achieved negative tests for legionella’ but that a sample taken on December 9 was positive for the bacteria.

The papers also suggest there will not be a quick fix for the water-related issues, with NHS services unlikely to move in until October at the earliest.

The documents say: “The main issue delaying occupation is the legionella and water system issue. There is a plan in place which includes balancing the domestic hot water system, disinfecting the system and then undertaking a flushing and testing regime. This is a c. 12/13 week programme.

“Before this commences, a methodology to undertake this work is to be agreed by all parties. This will likely take another three weeks. Therefore, it will be a c. 15 week plan in total. If the legionella tests are negative at the end of the 15 week period, the occupiers will then commence their individual move in timetables.”

The Paydens pharmacy at the WICC is ‘in occupation and in full payment’ and operating, the documents say, ‘as this is a self-contained unit which is not connected to the water system and other services in the main building’.

While the medical services’ lengthy wait looks set to continue, the site does appear to have some new residents – a skulk of foxes seems to have moved in, with the entrance to a den going under the building spotted, as shown in the picture.

An Adur & Worthing Councils spokesperson said the councils were aware of the foxes’ activity and added: “It's not having an impact on the building but is obviously disturbing the surrounding landscaping. We're working on a deterrent that doesn't harm the foxes currently.”