Communications Department
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NHS Forth Valley today revealed details of its vision for a community hospital in Falkirk. The plans guarantee that the site will have a vibrant future and continue to play an important role at the heart of the community.
The hospital, which will continue to be a base for hundreds of NHS staff and handle around 75,000 patient attendances each year, will offer a range of inpatient and outpatient services. These include rehabilitation, palliative care, community dental services, speech and language therapy, dietetics, sexual health and psychology.
Around 100 community-based inpatient beds will also be provided for Falkirk patients who require rehabilitation, palliative and continuing care. The majority of these beds will be provided within the community hospital either in a new purpose-built, facility equipped with single en-suite rooms or within existing modern ward accommodation.
Dr Peter Murdoch Associate Medical Director, NHS Forth Valley said: "This development will ensure many patients from across Falkirk who require this type of inpatient care and treatment are able to be cared for in modern, attractive accommodation designed to meet their individual needs."
Falkirk is one of four community hospitals being established which will link with the new Forth Valley Royal Hospital at Larbert to ensure an integrated approach to healthcare across Forth Valley.
NHS Forth Valley chairman Ian Mullen said: "An enormous amount of detailed planning has gone into the development of the community hospital to ensure that we retain a strong presence in the centre of Falkirk providing healthcare close to home."
Following a detailed review of existing accommodation to identify which facilities will be required to best meet the future needs of patients and staff, the Windsor Unit and the Surgical Block will be taken down along with older parts of the Infirmary. Newer accommodation on the site will be retained and extended with the addition of a new purpose-built single-storey inpatient facility.
Acute services, including specialist acute inpatient services, theatres, renal dialysis and the oncology unit are due to transfer from Falkirk District Royal Infirmary to the new Forth Valley Royal Hospital in August 2010. The minor injuries unit will continue to operate on site until summer 2011. Minor injuries services will then be provided in modern, purpose-built facilities at the new Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert as part of a fully comprehensive A&E department. Ophthalmology and pain clinics will transfer to the Stirling Community Hospital site in late 2011, in line with agreed plans.
Community mental health services provided at Westbank and Dunrowan, which under original plans, were due to transfer to the community hospital site, will stay where they are for the time being until a detailed review of future service requirements is carried out.
Inpatient beds and community services currently based in Bonnybridge Hospital will relocate to Falkirk Community Hospital although a small number of elderly mental health inpatient beds will be provided on the Stirling Community Hospital site in modern ward accommodation which better meets the needs of patients and staff.
A detailed business case for the accommodation plans will now be developed and internal service moves are expected to take place later this year, following the transfer of acute, renal and cancer services to the new Forth Valley Royal Hospital in August 2010. Initial demolition and enabling works are expected to start in early 2011 to prepare for the development of new purpose-built accommodation alongside the refurbishment of some of the existing buildings.
Construction work is expected to be completed by Spring 2012 and the Community Hospital should be fully operational by Summer 2012.
NHS Forth Valley also plans to work with Falkirk Council to explore potential joint initiatives, including whether some of the land freed up on the site could be used to take forward a number of future service developments.