A leading health minister inspected Hounslow's new £18million medical centre this week and proclaimed it to be "as good as it gets".

Andy Burnham, MP for Leigh, toured the Heart of Hounslow Centre for Health on Monday alongside John Foster, acting chief executive of Hounslow Primary Care Trust, and the borough's MPs Ann Keen and Alan Keen.

Led by Dr Vipin Patel, a GP who has recently moved his practice to the new facility, the politicians looked around the old Thelma Golding Centre, due to be demolished by July, before exploring the new facility next door.

When fully operational, the Heart of Hounslow will serve over 25,000 people and aims to bring together 12 GP practices and 17 different health departments currently spread across the borough.

After the tour, Mr Burnham said: "I have been to a lot of facilities but this is of a different quality all together. This is as good as it gets. The NHS can be first class right in the heart of your community. This building will last decades and serve several generations."

Alan Keen, MP for Feltham and Heston, said: "It's magnificent. We used to be really proud of the Thelma Golding Centre but this has surpassed that. It will make people realise that this is the modern health service."

Ann Keen, MP for Brentford and Isleworth, said: "It is a great service to the people of Hounslow and full credit to the people who have helped deliver it."

But two visiting residents gave very differing opinions of the centre.

Hounslow mum Revathi Tadiparthi said: "I like the building. It's new and it's better than the old one."

But local resident Rohit, who didn't want to give his surname, said: "Putting up this new building doesn't help the patient care. The waiting time is still the same."

The construction of the Heart of Hounslow was paid for by the Local Improvement Finance Trust, a joint initiative between the private and public sectors.

After the Thelma Golding Centre is demolished, the land adjacent to the £18million centre will be developed into key worker homes and a small car park.