Last updated 19:29, Thursday, 27 November 2008

TWO Cockermouth doctors’ surgeries will move to the new £14.6 million community hospital in the town.

Fitz Road and South Street surgeries are currently considered to be inadequate by NHS Cumbria, which runs frontline health services, because they are in old buildings.

At Fitz Road 75 per cent of patients have to climb steep stairs while at South Street there is poor access for wheelchairs and prams.

Rebuilding the existing practices would cost £4.3 million but would offer the same services as they do now.

However, incorporating them into the ‘health village’ will improve services and reduce waiting times.

Dr John Howarth is clinical director of adult services in primary care trust hospitals and has been involved in the plans.

He is also a senior partner at Fitz Road surgery and spoke on behalf of the surgeries.

He said: “We are delighted and very excited to be moving into the new health village.

“It will be a good replacement for our ageing premises.

“I think the new health village will be a more pleasant environment for our patients to visit.

“The opportunity for GPs in the town to work more closely together is a particularly exciting prospect.

“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to revitalise community hospitals in Cumbria and deliver world-class health services that patients deserve.

“We all share different skills and interests and the opportunity to work more closely would enable us to deliver many more services to patients.”

The existing Isel Road hospital needs to be replaced because it is more than 100 years old and needs extensive repairs.

New, detailed plans have been released and services will include:

l CT and MRI scanning for 100,000 Allerdale patients

l Clinics including leg ulcer and falls

l Therapists including chiropodists and physiotherapists

l an improved integrated nursing service

l ‘Out of hours’ testing

l Creche facilities in a children’s centre.

Health bosses say the aim is to reduce waiting lists and allow patients to be treated under one roof.

Inpatients will also be able to ‘video conference’ with relatives around the world.

It is hoped that the redundant hospital buildings would be used by charities and organisations and a cafe could be created for visitors and outpatients waiting for test results.

The new hospital will be built next to the current hospital, on land owned by Cockermouth League of Friends, which sold to health trust NHS Cumbria for a nominal sum.

Hospital bosses hope that it will be able to benefit all parts of the community.

It was due to be approved by NHS Cumbria last night.

The hospital will have nine permanent beds but can add more, depending on demand. There is also the option to create an underground third floor if needed, currently the area for staff car parking.

It is hoped work will start next year and the new hospital could be open by 2011.

The building of the community hospital is part of NHS Cumbria’s £250 million Closer to Home masterplan, which aims to deliver more services closer to where patients live. A business plan for Keswick and Maryport community hospitals will be drawn up next year.