TOWN Hall chiefs at Warrington are being asked to prioritise the development of a new hospital, centred in the town, to retain clinical services and attract a quality workforce.
The recommendation, from the borough council’s Health Scrutiny Committee, will be put to the executive board on Monday.
It follows a presentation to councillors by hospital chief executive Mel Pickup back in February and a later report which indicated that the present Lovely Lane site is not suitable for a modern hospital for the borough.
Subsequently, an article on the future vision for both Warrington and Halton hospitals had appeared in the newsletter of the NHS Trust.
This stated that with the growing population of Warrington, it was appropriate to consider planning for a new state-of-the-art modern hospital within the town.
But it stated that no specific locations had been considered and it was not within the Five Year forward view for Cheshire and Merseyside, which runs to 2021.
However, consultation and business cases for a new hospital would take many years to develop, so it was timely to be considering the issue now.
A report to accompany the Health Scrutiny’s recommendation to the executive board, states that the current hospital estate is not conducive to a modern, sustainable hospital which meets the needs of Warrington residents.
No firm proposals for a new hospital have yet been considered, but the council is currently in conversations with partners regarding potential solutions to the problem.
But if a business case for a new hospital is put forward, it will include a full risk assessment.
5 Comments
Will the risk assessment include those risks associated with Warrington’s increasingly aging and disperse population’s ability to gain better access the new hospital? Not forgetting the inadequacies of our local transport system.
There are plenty of hospitals in the country with a lot less land to play with. Warrington just needs to look at building upwards instead of outwards…. as long as there are plenty of access lifts, there is no reason why the hospital can’t be laid out over 10 floors instead of the 3 or 4 it is now. Just have to clear an area and build it.
As Halton hospital is to close in the next year or two. Warrington in its current position and state will be put under further pressure almost to the pint of offering dangerous levels of care. I’m sure Peel holdings will embrace being the hospitals new land lord when the western link road is built. It would be located in a good position to serve Warrington and Runcorn. New transport links would suit both populations until they are merged in to one large City. Watch this space !!!
“But it stated that no specific locations had been considered and it was not within the Five Year forward view for Cheshire and Merseyside, which runs to 2021.”
What a load of codswallop! A local plan for the next 20 years with no site for this ‘proposed’ hospital allocated!
This is just to allay fears about the massive proposed population growth!
If and when there ever is a new hospital, it will not be the decision of Warrington’s Executive Board! It will be ‘thought about’ for the next 15 years – then as cheap a hospital as is possible to be shared with Halton and possibly Chester will be planned.
Delay all house building and Peel Port plans until after the hospital is built -now that would be an idea!
The King’s ?? report on the NHS identifies a continuing failure to communicate and consult with outside (the NHS) organisations on its intentions. A bit like another organisation not too far away. Put the two together and the picture becomes clearer.