Last ditch bid to secure hospital services at Christchurch

5:00pm Saturday 2nd February 2013 in News By Katie Clark

REVISED PLANS: Christchurch hospital REVISED PLANS: Christchurch hospital

A FINAL bid to secure hospital services at Christchurch has been launched as plans are resubmitted for the site.

Hospital chiefs have held talks with council bosses since their £10million scheme for the site at Fairmile was rejected by Christchurch councillors in January.

Now, revised plans have been submitted to council planners by the Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospital Trust, with calls for members and the public to get behind the plans.

Should the new plans not be approved, funding for the GP practice will be lost.

The proposals will go to the planning committee on March 14.

Councillors on the planning committee felt the 80-bed care home and plans for 36 senior living apartments and 81 keyworker flats would result in a development out of character with the area at the meeting in Janaury.

They were concerned about the bulk and mass of the buildings as well as the loss of heritage of the former workhouse infirmary buildings – H Block and G Block – which were earmarked to be demolished.

But despite concerns over the loss of heritage, the trust says H block is still earmarked for demolition.

Richard Renaut, director of service development said: “It’s a straight choice between keeping services or having empty buildings.

“H block is an unlisted building that has been empty for several years, as it is unfit for healthcare use. An independent expert report has concluded it would cost an extra £5m to keep and convert the building, above and beyond the current investment on the site.

“This is money that isn’t available and can’t be justified, especially because the facilities at the end would be far less usable and far more costly to run.”

Changes to the planning application include the number of proposed key worker homes, which have been reduced by three, creating more space around neighbouring properties and giving some homes 74ft gardens.

The design and features of the buildings at the front of the site, which would replace H Block, have also been altered.

Mr Renaut said: “We firmly believe that securing services for future generations, making best use of public funds, and ensuring care is delivered in appropriate surroundings, all outweigh the concerns over keeping empty, poor quality buildings.”

Comments(17)

bibocherry says...
5:34pm Sat 2 Feb 13

The only people that are saying H an G blocks are unusable is Tony Spotswood and Richard Renault. There is no way it would cost five million. This is all spin to get everyone on side. went onto H and G block the other week and they are in very good nick. NHS money being totally wasted by two morons yet again. This is a popular hospital that has had the heart ripped out of its services on purpose so that two people can get brownie points.

Report this post »

bibocherry says...
5:45pm Sat 2 Feb 13

Does Tony Spotswood and Richard Renault think we are all stupid. There is nothing wrong with H and G block. I had a look on these wards myself a few weeks ago. This is all spin to convince the council. Once again these are two people wasting precious NHS money. Proof J, K and M wards which were like new and are now in the process of demolition. Christchurch people and surrounding areas want inpatients at Christchurch not fob stories and overcrowding at an inept Bournemouth. These people are shooting themselves in the foot and cutting off their noses despite their faces. Get Christchurch back to decent levels before it is too late.

Report this post »

bibocherry says...
5:57pm Sat 2 Feb 13

Absolutely nothing wrong with this hospital building. Went onto H an G block a few weekes ago. Only minimal alterations need f that. Same with J, K and M wards that are in the midst of demolition. Again there was minimum alterations needed. All this and Bournemouth is bursting at seems. Tony Spotswood and Mr Renault certainly know how to waste precious NHS money. Hopefully the council will see through them and make sure H and G are refurbished. The two clowns I have mentioned are just looking for brownie points in selling the land. The public want inpatients at Christchurch, Bournemouth need us to take inpatients. For goodness sake Spotswood and Renault wake up and see what is actually in front of you.

Report this post »

bibocherry says...
5:59pm Sat 2 Feb 13

Absolutely nothing wrong with this hospital building. Went onto H an G block a few weekes ago. Only minimal alterations need f that. Same with J, K and M wards that are in the midst of demolition. Again there was minimum alterations needed. All this and Bournemouth is bursting at seems. Tony Spotswood and Mr Renault certainly know how to waste precious NHS money. Hopefully the council will see through them and make sure H and G are refurbished. The two clowns I have mentioned are just looking for brownie points in selling the land. The public want inpatients at Christchurch, Bournemouth need us to take inpatients. For goodness sake Spotswood and Renault wake up and see what is actually in front of you.

Report this post »

Old Colonial says...
8:46pm Sat 2 Feb 13

bibocherry wrote:
The only people that are saying H an G blocks are unusable is Tony Spotswood and Richard Renault. There is no way it would cost five million. This is all spin to get everyone on side. went onto H and G block the other week and they are in very good nick. NHS money being totally wasted by two morons yet again. This is a popular hospital that has had the heart ripped out of its services on purpose so that two people can get brownie points.
When will everybody get it into their heads that these two executives have no interest in care OR the community. Their role is to serve their masters and work to the financial goals set for them. At the same time they are guaranteed to keep their nice positions and s*d the rest of you. I am open to argument on these points.

Report this post »

Crank says...
9:12pm Sat 2 Feb 13

Absolutely agree. The £5m quoted to renovate H Block, from an 'independent expert', is being much-vaunted as the masterstroke. Only snag for us NHS-users is we cannot see this report to evaluate it. It's not been deposited with the plans. It's deemed to be confidential. Nice one, Mr Renault/Spotswood. Got pictures of the demolition of the purpose-built wards - what a waste of our money. And the Trust is selling off not the site of H Block, but the part in front and to one side of it, to a private developer for a mega-structure which will net both a small fortune. Ahem: that's the conservation building to go and the conservation green heavily encroached upon.The services spoken of for the hospital are in the existing part of it and do not affect either H Block or G Block - why the vendetta?

Report this post »

Yankee1 says...
11:15pm Sat 2 Feb 13

Shall we invited Mssrs Renault and Spotswood to walk down Christchurch High Street, with its residents suitably supplied with overripe tomatoes?

Report this post »

Phixer says...
8:33am Sun 3 Feb 13

I don't see the Echo reporting any comments from others that represent residents and taxpayers, such as local councillors, MP or any of the hospital trust public, staff or nominated members.

Perhaps it doesn't suit the Echo agenda to carry out any real reporting?

Report this post »

Old Colonial says...
10:10am Sun 3 Feb 13

Phixer wrote:
I don't see the Echo reporting any comments from others that represent residents and taxpayers, such as local councillors, MP or any of the hospital trust public, staff or nominated members.

Perhaps it doesn't suit the Echo agenda to carry out any real reporting?
Perhaps the truth is that the Echo is incapable of carrying out any 'real reporting'. Continuing evidence would back this up.

Report this post »

Hessenford says...
11:50am Sun 3 Feb 13

There is only one agenda for Spotswood and Renault and that is to sell off the Christchurch Hospital site as they did with the other half 16 years ago.
Only 3 years ago at a public meeting Spotswood lied to everyone when he claimed that there were no plans to shut Christchurch while in the background the site was already being shut down and transferred to Bournemouth, don't trust them, don't believe them.

Report this post »

Crank says...
1:08pm Sun 3 Feb 13

Hessenford wrote:
There is only one agenda for Spotswood and Renault and that is to sell off the Christchurch Hospital site as they did with the other half 16 years ago.
Only 3 years ago at a public meeting Spotswood lied to everyone when he claimed that there were no plans to shut Christchurch while in the background the site was already being shut down and transferred to Bournemouth, don't trust them, don't believe them.
Yes: I have had a keen interest in defending quite unsuccessfully this unique complex of buildings, which, had they survived intact as they were in 1995, would now be listed.
The rationale for the 1996 destruction was, in the NHS PR: 'to create a centre of excellence' at the remaining buildings
.

Report this post »

coster says...
2:03pm Sun 3 Feb 13

Spotswood is a disgrace, his continued evasions of the truth bring no credit to NHS administration - such as it is.
It has been clear for a long time that the only aim is closure, Follow The Money has always been a good adage, maybe its time for an independent review.
Eh! Mr Chope ?

Report this post »

bibocherry says...
7:49pm Sun 3 Feb 13

If the council have any savvy, they will put a conservation order on H and G block pretty darn quick. The work house when built was built of the people and community of Christchurch. The hospital should stay that way. Perhaps a good protest meeting is in order. Any ideas?

Report this post »

bibocherry says...
7:49pm Sun 3 Feb 13

If the council have any savvy, they will put a conservation order on H and G block pretty darn quick. The work house when built was built of the people and community of Christchurch. The hospital should stay that way. Perhaps a good protest meeting is in order. Any ideas?

Report this post »

Old Colonial says...
8:03pm Sun 3 Feb 13

Now, steady on everyone. What is most important, the Christchurch community and healthcare provision for the wider populace, or Spotswood and Renaut keeping their jobs? And who makes the final decision on this question?

Report this post »

mytown1 says...
2:24pm Mon 4 Feb 13

I too have seen the demolition taking place at the hospital at the moment. All the way to the chapel walls. How can patients/staff/relat
ives/friends in the Macmillan Unit be made to suffer this dreadful situation. The noise, dust, dirt all within feet of the Unit. How can the chapel be ear marked as a multi-purpose/traini
ng/chapel building on the re-submitted plans. Surely the chapel is there for a reason i.e. to give comfort to all those that enter through the doors day or night! How can we get such a mis match of development with such an important community facility like the Macmillan Unit. Whatever our feelings on the development let us not forget the patients/staff and visitors alike who require some compassion and thought

Report this post »

coster says...
1:35pm Tue 12 Feb 13

There is now a propaganda 'fact sheet' being distributed around RBH in an attempt to pack the upcoming meeting. The statements given are open to question, but presented as fact.

Report this post »

click2find

About cookies

We want you to enjoy your visit to our website. That's why we use cookies to enhance your experience. By staying on our website you agree to our use of cookies. Find out more about the cookies we use.

I agree