A new company has taken over the running of a Bradford treatment centre.

In June, NHS Bradford and Airedale announced that Care UK had been awarded preferred bidder status for the contract to run Eccleshill NHS Treatment Centre, and now the company has formally taken over the running of the centre from Nations Healthcare.

New general manager Patricia Warwick said Care UK’s track record across its seven treatment centres over the past five years will help it to rapidly gain the confidence of the local health community.

“We’re looking forward to welcoming the local community and meeting GPs in the catchment area of Eccleshill Treatment Centre,” she said.

“There are a number of changes and improvements being planned that will be announced over the coming weeks.”

The treatment centre off Harrogate Road, in Eccleshill, provides a range of NHS services, from treating hernias to minor foot and knee surgery, for patients across Bradford, Airedale and Leeds. Care UK is the largest independent operator of NHS treatment centres in the UK and the largest independent provider of health care services to the NHS.

The company sees more than 500,000 NHS patients a year in facilities spread from Portsmouth to Newcastle.

The success of the new contract for Eccleshill NHS Treatment Centre for Care UK will depend on the company’s ability to attract patients and referrals from GPs, based on its record of clinical quality and customer satisfaction.

The NHS will pay Care UK in the same way it pays other NHS hospitals – on a procedure by procedure basis.

Mrs Warwick added: “People choosing a Care UK treatment centre can expect sector-leading levels of patient care from staff who are passionate about quality.”

The treatment centre in Eccleshill benefits from a close working relationship with the local NHS with consultant surgeons from Bradford Royal Infirmary also working there.