More joint working between hospital trust and St Edmundsbury Borough Council

12 December 2002

Members of the West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust board met with Councillors and senior officers of St Edmundsbury Borough Council this week to discuss key issues facing the hospital trust and the need for closer partnership working.

Chairman of the Trust, Veronica Worrall said: “The meeting had been a wonderful chance to talk about the opportunities facing the Trust, outline plans for the future and develop an even closer relationship with the Council.”

Chief Executive of the Trust, John Parkes explained: “We have prepared a five year strategy which looks at current developments planned for the hospital site and our hopes and aspirations for the future. It outlines how initiatives, such as the new £5.6 million Diagnostic and Treatment Centre, will help the Trust meet its waiting list targets, respond to the health care needs of the local community and become an employer of choice.

“Building a good working relationship with the Council and other local organisations is paramount in helping us achieve our goals. It will also ensure that we use all the skills and knowledge available to help us move forward for the benefit of our local communities.”

Director of Estates and Facilities Mr Steve Moore, presented the site strategy which takes full account of the impact of any development on car parking and the environment including noise, ecology, the landscape, traffic flows and tree preservation orders.

The Council’s Director of Planning and Transportation, Jerry Massey, confirmed that the hospital Trust was currently the planning authority’s biggest client with 12 planning applications submitted in the last six months and more on the way. Regular meetings between the Trust and the Council’s planning department are already in place along with an agreement to develop a longer term strategic approach to the site.

The Council acknowledged the need for the future growth of the West Suffolk Hospital and was keen to help the Trust develop its vision for the site, within a landscaped setting.

The Council and Trust also agree to work in partnership to try to address the housing needs of key workers, as well as issues such as car parking, health improvement and community engagement.

Welcoming the opportunity for the meeting, St Edmundsbury’s Chief Executive Deborah Cadman said: “It is good to see the Trust taking a strategic approach to the development of the hospital site and the Council is keen to work with them to ensure that the community’s needs can be met in the future. As two of the major employers in the area there are a number of issues we can work on jointly which impact on the local community.”