Thornbury residents will benefit from better outpatient and community midwife appointment facilities in the town centre.
North Bristol NHS Trust is planning to relocate services from the existing hospital to a former shop in the main shopping area on St Mary Street, from this winter.
This is because Thornbury Hospital is now very old and no longer suitable for modern healthcare.
The NHS is planning to significantly modernise facilities in Thornbury over the next few years and the redevelopment of the health centre has been identified as a priority.
Once the final services have moved out of Thornbury Hospital, which is located beside the health centre, the site will be available for redevelopment.
North Bristol NHS Trust Executive Director of Facilities, Simon Wood, said:
“Thornbury Hospital is no longer fit for purpose and this move will offer local people the same services but from much better premises.”
Thornbury Hospital, which was built in 1920, has been in a poor condition for some time and is extremely difficult and expensive to maintain. The outpatient building called the Berwick unit was built in 1965 and is very outdated and no longer provides a suitable environment for patients or staff.
Although Thornbury Hospital is owned by North Bristol NHS Trust, until recently most of its services were run by NHS community services provider, Sirona care & health. This included a 20-bed ward and a range of outpatient appointments.
Since Sirona care & health moved all of its services to other locations in Thornbury late 2018, just 15% of Thornbury Hospital is now occupied. The only services left are outpatient appointments for colorectal, gynaecology, respiratory and neurology plus regular community midwifery and audiology sessions.
Because the properties are now largely empty, the site is also suffering from increasing vandalism and anti-social behaviour.
There are significant costs to the NHS to run and maintain a partially occupied building, including increased security measures such as 24/7 manned security presence, fencing and screening of windows.
As a result North Bristol NHS Trust extensively assessed a range of options for relocating the services from Thornbury Hospital, ideally into alternative accommodation within Thornbury.
The proposed new premises, on 9 St Mary Street, will have three clinical rooms, an interview room, reception and toilet. Change of Use planning permission has been granted by South Gloucestershire Council and the move is expected in winter 2019.
Within walking distance there are eight bus routes and free car parks at Castle Court, Rock Street and St Mary’s Street.
In April 2018, Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group approved plans to transform health and care services in South Gloucestershire, including a new Enhanced Primary and Community Care Centre.
More information on the relocation can be requested from Policy&Planning@nbt.nhs.uk and will be displayed in the town hall.