New Community Hospital for the East Riding is Approved

New Community Hospital for the East Riding gets the go ahead from Planning Committee

A new 21st century community hospital to serve the people of the East Riding has taken a major step forward today.

Members of East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s Planning Committee have voted to approve the detail of the design, subject to the conclusion of the consultation period which ends today.

Plans to build a new £19 million community hospital at Swinemoor Lane, Beverley have received support from local people who attended open events, NHS staff, local MP Graham Stuart and other community representatives.

The new hospital will bring a number of services currently delivered in larger hospitals outside the East Riding into the local community, supported by our Neighbourhood Care Teams (NCTs), which support people with long term conditions to live more independently.

The new hospital is innovative and flexible in design and meets the highest environmental standards. It makes use of natural light and ventilation, and is sympathetic to the surrounding environment. The hospital has been designed to provide a therapeutic environment for patients and visitors.

A Community Hospital Liaison Group has been established and chaired by a local resident. Clinicians who will be working within the hospital have been involved throughout the development.

Subject to full business case approval next month by the Strategic Health Authority, work will start on the £19 million development this Autumn with the first patients using the hospital by Spring 2012.

NHS East Riding of Yorkshire Chairman, Karen Knapton said:

“I am highly delighted to have the approval of the planning committee for the new community hospital. This is a development that will greatly benefit the health care of East Riding residents.

“Our growing and ageing population has a major impact on health needs. The new hospital is a vital element of our Community Services Strategy that will enable us to deliver better health outcomes for patients with long term conditions within the community.

“Our public engagement events have been well attended and suggestions from these have been incorporated into the final design for the hospital. I want to thank everyone who has given the development such fantastic support to enable it to get to this stage.”