West Suffolk Hospital boss reveals details on new site plans as views sought from residents
West Suffolk Hospital's boss says he wants plans for their new site in Bury St Edmunds to be 'co-produced' with the public.
West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust revealed on Thursday it had selected the nearby Hardwick Manor and its surrounding grounds for the new healthcare facility.
The existing hospital, in Hardwick Lane, was built in 1974 and has long exceeded its intended 30-year life span.
In an interview with the Bury Free Press, Dr Steve Dunn, chief executive of the trust, said that as part of the selection process they initially considered 20 sites, which were shortlisted to four before settling on the 70 acre Hardwick Manor.
He said Hardwick Manor would allow them to keep more recent additions to the existing site such as accommodation, nursery, Quince House which houses clinical sterile services, the education centre as well as the eye treatment and day surgery centre.
“It also means we can hopefully continue to use aspects of the existing car parking that we’ve developed,” he said.
“We know car parking is an issue for staff and local residents and hopefully we will be able to expand our car parking capacity, although we will continue to encourage staff to pursue more sustainable means of transport.”
Dr Dunn said he anticipated the main site and old staff accommodation blocks would be demolished and the trust would explore the future use of those sites.
“We’re still in the early stages of planning – these are things we will want to be engaging with the public on which we are committed to do at every step of the process,” he said.
Asked what will happen to the eight-bedroom manor, Dr Dunn said: “We don’t have any plans to remove the manor house.
"We would like to incorporate it into our architectural plans and there are many uses we will consider for that. It could make a great facility that we might be able to use for either staff or patients. It’s something we will look to retain.”
On the timeframe, he said their aspiration was to try to develop and deliver a new hospital and healthcare facility by the middle of the decade.
“We would like to do it as soon as is practically possible appreciating there are several steps we will need to go through to make this a reality but it’s great news that we’ve got the land and a preferred site and a dedicated team that is now working on those plans.
“We want to engage with our public and make sure the plans are co-produced – hearing their views and getting into a dialogue about how we can best incorporate their views and feedback into our thinking and design.”
I am looking forward to the next phase of the project, where stakeholders and residents can put forward their views to ensure we have a hospital fit for everyone’s needs - Jo Churchill
He added that while Hardwick Manor gave them space to develop services, they would work with GPs and local healthcare teams to improve services in the surrounding areas.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock, West Suffolk MP, said he was ‘absolutely thrilled’ with the new site which was a ‘great step forward’ given it was ‘right next door’ to the current hospital.
“I am also pleased that such extensive consultation with various groups took place to reach this decision,” he said.
“Delivering this new hospital – as one of the 40 we have committed to deliver over this decade – will be so important for ensuring the NHS is always there for all of us across West Suffolk long into the future.”
Jo Churchill, Bury St Edmunds MP, said: “This exciting development in Bury St Edmunds, funded by the government’s new hospital building programme, will ensure residents from Bury and the surrounding towns and villages, have easy access to 21st century medical facilities on their doorstep.”
She said the project’s next phase will allow stakeholders and residents to put forward their views ‘to ensure we have a hospital fit for everyone’s needs’.
A Microsoft Teams meeting to discuss the announcement is planned for Wednesday, December 16 from 6pm to 7.30pm and can be accessed via www.wsh.nhs.uk/live-event
For more about the project and how to get involved, visit www.wsh.nhs.uk/new-healthcare-facility and for regular updates register your email address at futuresystemprogramme@wsh.nhs.uk
For those who do not have internet access, the trust welcomes feedback via post at the following address: Future System Programme, 2nd Floor Quince House, West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, Hardwick Lane, Bury St Edmunds IP33 2QZ.
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