What's next for Christchurch Hospital? (From Bournemouth Echo)

What's next for Christchurch Hospital?

11:00am Monday 8th February 2010 in

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Christchurch residents are being urged put pen to paper in response to a consultation which could decide the future of the local hospital.

A debate over how the Fairmile hospital will be put to use in the future is taking place over the next few weeks with members of the public invited to put forward their ideas.

The Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals Trust need to make £30million of savings in the next three years.

Possibilities for the hospital include the building becoming a hub for community palliative care and for “reablement”, where people would be supported on an outpatient or day care basis to help them learn or relearn the skills for daily living.

Leader of Christchurch Borough Council, Cllr Alan Griffiths said: “We are very concerned that our hospital is under threat.

“I hope Christchurch residents will take the opportunity to make their views heard to keep this valuable building.”

Joan Pounds, volunteers manager and chairman of the League of Friends at Christchurch Hospital said: “We are trying to get over the message that now is the time to act. The sense of uncertainty is rife throughout the hospital at the moment.”

Richard Renaut, director of service development has said that selling the hospital would be the “least good option” but that the trust may need to make a decision over whether they can afford to run a half-empty site.

The trust hopes to have expressions of interest firmed up by May and a business case developed by the autumn.

There will be a public meeting hosted by Christchurch Borough Council on March 8 at 6.30pm.

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Fact file

By the end of April 2010 six wards will have closed at Christchurch Hospital.

Hospital bosses say this will ensure a more streamlined way of treating patients and provide a better quality of care for patients while coping with the problem of too many beds.

Wards left open at the hospital include the Macmillan Unit, a dermatology unit with a reduced number of beds, J ward, which will become an orthopaedic ward and the regular outpatients and day hospital services.