Ribble Valley's £7million hospital plans are revealed (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Ribble Valley's £7million hospital plans are revealed

4:00pm Friday 7th September 2012 in News By Lisa Woodhouse, Assistant picture editor

HEALTH bosses have submitted plans to build a new community hospital in Clitheroe.

The proposed 4,000 square metre hospital will include 33 inpatient beds – including 17 single rooms – an out-patient department, an integrated therapies suite for physiotherapy outpatients, rehabilitation and occupational therapy, dental, X-ray and podiatry services.

The North West Ambulance Service will also have a response base there.

In addition to the clinical services, there will be a reception and general office, kitchen and café area, staff changing facilities and storage.

The £7million development will be constructed on land next to to the current hospital. The site may be sold by the NHS in due course to help finance the new build.

Construction is scheduled to start by the end of the year, subject to NHS approval, which is hoped to be completed next month.

Jackie Hadwen, chief executive of East Lancashire building partnership, said: “We have carefully reviewed the requirements for the new facility with local clinicians, commissioners, health providers and members of the public over the past 18 months and we now have a fantastic scheme that should serve the people of the Ribble Valley well for many years to come.

“Our brief was to look at what could be provided from within available resources, looking at land, sources of capital and revenue impacts.

“The new development will be financed with NHS capital and should save revenue year-on-year compared with the current facility as despite being slightly bigger it will be a much more efficient building to run.

“At NHS East Lancashire we received a petition containing over 4,000 signatures supporting a new community hospital development and the support from members of the public has been tremendous.”

A number of drop-in sessions for the public are planned for Tuesday at Clitheroe Hospital meeting room, between 5 and 7pm, and Wednesday at Clitheroe Library between 10am and noon. Further sessions at Slaidburn and Whalley village halls are to be confirmed.