The Clitheroe vertiser an imes


Health bosses pledge on new community hospital


EXCLUSIVE


MAJOR plans for a new and expanded community hospital for Clitheroe have been anounced by local health chiefs. The plan has been given the green


light by East Lancashire Primary Care Trust’s board members, with the aim of bringing “facilities and services fit for the 21st Century” into the heart of the Kibble Valley. The multi-million pound project


aims to build a new state-of-the-art community health facility within the grounds of the existing hospital, and for it to be up and running within the next two to three years. In addition, the new site will have


the ability to accommodate mobile health units which will allow a range of surgical and diagnostic services to come to the Valley so that local resi­ dents will not have to travel to hospi­ tal sites in Blackburn, Burnley and Accrington for many of the more rou­ tine treatments and services. Existing services that are provided


in the present Clitheroe Community Hospital will continue as at present and then be transferred into the new facility once it is has been built as a


purpose-built replacement for the 19th Century building which began its life as the workhouse for the area. Now, the PCT’s special project


team have been asked to work up the plans in detail so that ultimately planning applications can be made to Kibble Valley Borough Council for the new community health provision. PCT chief executive David Peat,


who has overseen massive new provi­ sion of community .health centres throughout East Lancashire in recent years, said: “This is an excit­ ing project that aims to bring Kibble Valley residents locally-based health facilities that they deserve in facili­ ties that are fit for the 21st Century. “We want to bring more services into a community setting and replace


our old facilities with modem provi­ sion. We all have great affection for the old community hospital building but we have to remember it was designed as a workhouse two cen­ turies ago.” Peter Sellars, the PCT’s head of


primary care commissioning, and for­ mer he manager at Clitheroe Com­ munity Hospital, added: “It is early


days yet but the decision to go ahead has been taken in principle by the board. Our team is all set to work up the plans but we can confirm that it will be a completely new build, adja­ cent to the exisiting premises. “We are working on the financial


and building arrangements and look­ ing to have the building work done to the same high standards as our mod­ ern health centres in Hyndburn, Burnley, Pendle, Kossendale and the Kibble Valley. “We have been delighted with the


quality finish at our new purpose- built facilities and want the same standards brought to the Kibble Val­ ley project for use by local residents.


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