Trust says local residents have largely given positive feedback to proposals
Modernisation of the St Bernard’s Hospital site moved a step closer this week when West London Mental Health NHS Trust submitted a planning application for the project to Ealing Council.
The application requests permission to construct a new 80 bed medium secure unit (MSU) on the existing John Conolly Wing site on Uxbridge Road.
The Trust says these proposals will allow them to secure the future of local mental health services, whilst meeting national and local commissioners’ standards by transferring medium secure patients into fit for purpose accommodation, by March 2015.
Planning application submission follows positive resident and local stakeholder feedback, received after plans went on public display in November and December 2011.
Over 80% of respondents supported the Trust’s proposals for improvement. Following a full options appraisal in January 2012, the Trust Board requested that further work be carried out on this option, which represents the best value for money and the greatest benefits for patients, staff and local people.
Vickie Holcroft, Programme Manager said: “Medium secure services have been provided at this site since 1986, if we are to continue the essential treatment and rehabilitation of these patients we must upgrade the St Bernard’s site, doing nothing is no longer an option. Having assessed all the possibilities available, it is clear that a new MSU will not only be the most suitable long term solution, but will also allow us to make the best use of our resources, whilst securing the future of many local jobs.”
If plans for the new MSU go ahead, they will create a single male medium secure campus at the south east corner of the site, whilst leaving the flexibility to develop the remainder of the land, if necessary, in line with patient and service need.
West London Mental Health NHS Trust is expecting a planning decision in May 2012. In the meantime work continues to develop an Outline Business Case (OBC) for the project, which will be presented to the Board in March 2012. Once approved, this document will then be submitted to the strategic health authority (NHS London) and the Department of Health.
1st March 2012