Plans for hospital debated

Nov 18 2008 By Polly Manser

A brand new hospital with 24 in-patient beds and more services than currently exist at Chalfonts and Gerrards Cross hospital could be built on a greenfield site, Bucks PCT said this week.

The new community hospital would include all services that are currently provided at the hospital, in Hampden Road, plus a GP practice, a clinic and possibly mental health services.

It could be built alongside a new private nursing home with an allocation of beds for its use in exchange for land.

That was the scenario painted by Ed Macalister-Smith, chief executive of Buckinghamshire Primary Care Trust, who spoke at the League of Friends' AGM on Monday (17/10).

Around 150 people attended Gerrards Cross Community Centre to hear him talk.

Mr Macalister-Smith said: "I don't know the geography well enough to know if there are other sites but if we are going to do a complete refurbishment, it would be worth asking the question, is there a better site? If you can have a clear run at it it's much easier to do and that's a consideration."

He continued: "Social services tell us there's not enough nursing home beds in this part of the country. They are going to London boroughs, because it's cheaper (for them) so there's less capacity that we might want. Could a developer be encouraged to increase nursing home care?"

He added: "Chalfonts and Gerrards Cross Hospital needs to be demolished and rebuilt. I think there's a real opportunity for us to do something very interesting but we will have to go and raise the money and it will probably take a couple of years to get that out of the Department of Health."

The audience asked questions, with several people worried that a new hospital would take a long time, or might never happen.

One said: "Anything to do with developers, including Tesco, takes ten years to happen. A school (Holy Cross) closed down in the centre of this village with a huge area of land. That will be sold off to a developer within a year and you won't be ready."

Carol Cooknell of the League of Friends summed up: "We are feeling very positive and we want to work with the PCT but we are also sceptical and wanting to make sure that what we want is what we shall have."

The PCT's board will decide on three possible options later this month.

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