A FLAGSHIP £3 million LIFT health centre in Grimethorpe will open on Monday with just one practice moving in.

The centre is designed to house a number of GPs' surgeries, offer health services, including minor operations, but there has been a lack of take-up.

Dr Sriramulu and Dr Maters are moving from their Dobrem House surgery but the Chronicle understands that no other doctors have any plans to join them.

Dr Saxena has practices in Grimethorpe and Cudworth.

Her Cudworth surgery will move into the Cudworth LIFT when it opens in August because the White Rose Medical Centre where it is based now is being shut down by the Primary Care Trust which runs LIFT centres.

She will not move her Grimethorpe surgery into the Grimethorpe LIFT because she owns the High Street building where it is based and would have to pay rent in the LIFT centre.

The other practices in the White Rose Medical Centre will also move to the Cudworth LIFT.

The PCT charges doctors rent for the space they take in LIFT centres but a spokesman said the empty rooms would not affect running costs.

Even though only one doctor has signed up to the Grimethorpe LIFT centre, the PCT said it was delighted it had opened as it would help to modernise and improve healthcare services.