IT HAS been revealed the Orpington Health and Wellbeing Centre will be open mid 2014.

Possible sites for the new building, including the disused police station on the High Street, are being whittled down and a shortlist of two will be explored next month.

The decision to confirm the transferral of services from Orpington Hospital to a Health and Wellbeing Centre was made at a public meeting at the Joint Boards of NHS South East London on November 29 although the final vote was cast only by Bromley primary care trust (PCT) members.

It is hoped the centre will be confirmed in May 2013 with contracts agreed by July 2013 and the opening taking place mid-2014.

Bromley Clinical Commissioning Chair Dr Andrew Parsons said: "We are confident the changes decided are an opportunity to improve patient care by bringing together those services people need most often and delivering them closer to people's homes as well as having a strong focus in preventing illness and staying healthy."

A spokesperson for NHS Bromley said: “There will be no break in health services for patients during this time.

“Where appropriate, some outpatients may go to the Princess Royal University Hospital, in Farnborough Common, for their treatment, but we have clearly said that this needs to be carefully planned with the Trust Special Administrator for South London Healthcare NHS Trust.

“So before any moves can happen, we need to ensure there is adequate arrangement for capacity and parking at the Princess Royal Hospital and also to know that the Secretary of State for Health's report in February confirms this as the right way forward.”

The spokesperson also revealed there will only be two GP surgeries moving into the centre, rather than three as originally thought, because two surgeries have merged to become one.