Media Release
Friday 16 January 2009

The refurbishment of Cossham Memorial Hospital is another step closer after the strategic health authority NHS South West approved the Outline Business Case (OBC) at its meeting yesterday. The OBC has already been agreed by NHS South Gloucestershire, NHS Bristol and North Bristol NHS Trust.

“This is fantastic news and means that the refurbishment of Cossham to provide an increased range of healthcare services to people in Kingswood and East Bristol is closer to becoming a reality,” said Penny Harris, Chief Executive of NHS South Gloucestershire.

The Cossham development will be part of a network of community hospitals and healthcare centres being created throughout Bristol, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset that will provide people with a wider range of health care nearer to where they live.

Cossham Hospital currently provides some diagnostic and outpatient services but in the future it will provide:

• A minor injuries service
• Outpatient facilities
• Diagnostics and imaging
• Therapy services (physiotherapy, speech and language, audiology)
• The only midwife-led birthing centre in South Gloucestershire and Bristol

Today’s announcement follows detailed consultation with local people and the NHS to look at the healthcare needs of the population in Kingswood and East Bristol. Graham Kennedy, chairman of the Save Cossham Group, and Roy Tippett, chairman of the League of Friends of Cossham Hospital, and welcomed the announcement as another step in the process.

“This is another step in the process and an important one. We look forward to this project gaining momentum,” said Graham Kennedy.

Roy Tippett said “This is another hurdle that we’ve cleared and I look forward to building work starting at Cossham.”

NHS South Gloucestershire has begun to develop the Full Business Case, which is scheduled to go before its board in March and to the Strategic health authority’s board meeting in May.

The primary care trust will apply for planning permission from Bristol City Council in April and hopes to begin work as early as May on enabling works that will house services while the main hospital building is refurbished.

For more information please contact Fiona Reid on 0117 330 2451 or Sue Pratt on 0117 330 2499.

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