A new health facility to replace Shotley Bridge Hospital could be completed as early as 2023, NHS chiefs have confirmed.
Concerns have previously been raised about the availability of cash to overhaul the Consett hospital, which is facing a multi-million-pound maintenance backlog.
Last year, it was confirmed North Durham’s Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) had won permission to push forward with proposals for the site.
A business case for the plans is now being drawn up after bosses confirmed they have an ‘identified funding source’.
This month, CCG bosses revealed a shortlist of potential new sites for the new ‘integrated care centre’.
Once agreed by NHS bosses, the buildings are set to be completed in 2023.
Options include:
- The Genesis site. former Consett Steelworks land, where an outline planning application has been granted for a health centre.
- A site off the A692 (English Martyrs School)
- Former Blackfyne School site
A fourth option includes upgrading the existing Shotley Bridge site but this remains unlikely.
CCG boss, Rachel Rooney, said the main drivers for the change include the site being “unfit for purpose” and “three times larger than it needs to be.”
She added there would be “no gap in provision” as services move between sites in future.
The comments came during a recent meeting of Durham County Council’s (DCC) Adults, Wellbeing and Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (March 5).
DCC’s cabinet member for Adult and Health Services, Lucy Hovvels, welcomed the plans but stressed the plans were still a “work in progress.”
“The investment came to the table and then it was took off and now it’s back on and we have been doing a lot of lobbying in terms of that and the journey is not finished,” she said.
“I think we have been able to come to the table with a sensible approach and one that has got us to where we are.”
The council boss also praised councillors, the public and a cross-party reference group for helping to shape proposals for the hospital’s future.
An outline business case is expected to be completed by the end of June followed by a consultation in September.
All options will be assessed before a site is chosen – with the speed of delivery, patient accessibility, functionality and affordability coming into play.
A full business case is due to be completed in Autumn 2021 and if approved, construction could start in early 2022.
Coun Owen Temple said: “I want to thank the people of Consett who I think have behaved incredibly responsibly as they have to give up some much loved things.
“The hospital where our children were born will be razed to the ground, those things have to go and the people have accepted that and I think that’s of enormous credit to them.
“I think it’s going to go on being bruising to a degree because the key thing is we have got to have the money and get the best for the people for the future.”
Scrutiny committee chair, John Robinson, also welcomed the update from health bosses.
He added: “This committee has always and will always support our colleague Coun Hovvels and her reference group and above all, the local population, to achieve a health facility that both the local population want, need and deserve for this part of our county.”
