No More False Dawns For Community Hospital In Malvern

3.52.00pm GMT Mon 12th Nov 2007

West Worcestershire's Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate and local health campaigner,Richard Burt, has called on Worcestershire Primary Care Trust to tell the public if it has revised plans and a timetable for a new community hospital in Malvern.

Local Liberal Democrats have just completed the biggest ever health survey across West Worcestershire, revealing that 85% of respondents believe that Malvern district needs a new Community Hospital. 13% said they didn't know and only 2% disagreed.

Over 2000 responses have so far been returned.

Richard Burt said: "It is crystal clear that residents want a new hospital, but we have seen so many broken promises and so many false dawns. Residents have become sceptical that it will ever be built.

"I will be seeking a meeting with Worcestershire Primary Care Trust bosses urging them to put any new plans into the public domain right away. It is vital to restore community trust and confidence if any new development is to succeed.

Mr Burt made his comments following a meeting in London with the Community Hospitals Association to explore different ways of delivering a new hospital for the town.

"We have already been fobbed off with an announcement that the Primary Care Trust is not likely to advertise for a PFI partner until 2010 at the earliest. Now expectation is building up again because of preliminary clearance work being carried out at the Seaford Court site, but no new timetable and no new plan has been put into the public domain.

"Instead of being isolated from the process, people should feel that they are very much part of the plans to deliver a new hospital they both want and need. People just don't trust government locally or nationally to deliver any more.

"There are different models to deliver a new hospital through some form of Community Trust that would put the power to build and run the hospital into the hands of local people and local partners. At least fifteen similar schemes are already successfully up and running around the country, and there is money available because community engagement is very much in favour with Government at the moment.

"If the PCT has new plans for the hospital, then let's get local residents involved as soon as possible. If we are still on a long list of half promises, ifs and may be's, then perhaps it's time for the community in Malvern to find ways to drive the project through."