A DIGITAL health hub – the first of its kind in West Yorkshire – is now up and running on a Keighley estate.

People can use the hub ­– at the Sue Belcher Centre, Bracken Bank – to access a wide range of health and wellbeing provision.

Those involved in the venture include Bracken Bank and District Community Association, Keighley Healthy Living, the Modality Partnership and Keighley College.

Guests at a launch event last Thursday included the town mayor, Councillor Peter Corkindale. And there was a pre-recorded message from the Lord Mayor of Bradford, Keighley councillor Doreen Lee.

Funding for the hub is from a West Yorkshire and Harrogate health inequalities grant.

Delivering the project is Christine Bradley, community facilitator for digital inclusion and social isolation at Keighley Healthy Living.

She said: “As a health and wellbeing charity, we recognise the growing effects of social and digital isolation.

“We want to promote change and inclusion in Keighley by offering friendly help and education in a community setting. This is the first of our digital health hubs to go live. We are busy facilitating a second, at the Highfield Centre, to launch at the end of next month.

“In addition to guidance on completing e-consult forms and encouraging people to make their GP appointments/request prescriptions online, we also have a social prescriber on hand to answer any non-medical questions. Our service is Covid-19 friendly.”

Keighley College said it was “extremely proud” to be involved in the initiative.

Lisa Camm, community facilitator at the college, said: “Community is at the heart of everything we do. We’re extremely proud to be working with local health organisations to assist in delivering an accessible and valuable service, by supporting patients to access healthcare services online.

“Our adult and community team will be there every other Thursday to provide people with the opportunity to develop their online healthcare support skills. We will also be offering employability advice and information on courses.”

The hub is open every Thursday from 1pm to 3pm. For an appointment, call 07759 396511.