A NEW £2m eco surgery has been named in memory of one of its former partners.

St Andrew’s Medical Practice, Spennymoor, was officially opened on October 6 as Sensier House by David Bellamy.

The former surgery premises, which were completely destroyed by fire following an arson attack in 2009, were named in honour of Dr Alan Sensier who was credited as being the driving force behind the rebuilding following the blaze.

Just hours after the premises originally reopened in October 2011, senior partner Dr Sensier suffered a brain haemorrhage.

He passed away three days later aged 53.

Practice manager Tracy Martin said: “Losing Dr Sensier totally wiped us out. In comparison to that, the fire was nothing.

“The practice lost everything in the blaze but Dr Sensier’s passion for his patients, his dedication to his work and his determination to keep going really helped our team to pull together.

“After what happened we didn’t think about having a ceremony to officially open the new practice, but over time – and after a lot of discussion – we decided to name the new building after him. He had made it possible for us all to move forward.”

More than 85 people attended the official unveiling ceremony of the new facility, including Dr Sensier’s widow, Brenda, and their three children.

The state-of-the-art building, which took nine months to build, includes 18 consulting rooms, a minor surgery suite, dispensary, pharmacy, meeting room, administration offices, boardroom and common room.

The surgery, built to strict ecological regulations, also boasts 67 solar roof panels, selfswitching sensor lights and taps, indigenous planting and an irrigation system.

“I hope that Dr Sensier would feel naming the new premises after him was a fitting tribute,”

added Tracey.

“He was never one for the limelight, but it is a measure of the man that we have this wonderful surgery here today.”