I WARMLY welcome plans, at last, for a new hospital for Thornbury.
Although there are still a few hurdles to be overcome, it does look as if we will have 44 beds for community rehabilitation and 36 beds in smaller units for older, frail patients and for those with dementia.
It has taken a very, very long time to reach this stage.
As this will be a hospital for the whole of South Gloucestershire, it is important to realise that only a small number of local people will personally benefit. However it is good to note that there will also be 63 extra care units.
I am extremely disappointed that there has been very little progress towards a new health centre. This is what local people are most concerned about.
We can already see the pressures on the present services and that is before the residents of 1,500 new homes have moved into the town.
It has never been easy to equate the hospital land and the health centre land as they are owned by different parts of the NHS, but the time has come for negotiation to reach a much higher level.
A solution must be found as soon as possible.
Shirley Holloway (Cllr)
Thornbury
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