Future of Putney Hospital
over 300 people attended the meeting to hear the points of view
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Three hundred people packed into a Putney church last night to hear about NHS plans for a new primary care centre at the old Putney Hospital site.
Helen Walley, Chief Executive of the Wandsworth PCT, outlined the thinking behind plans to redevelop the site for a mix of housing and new health facilities.
She explained that, while the location had accessibility issues, if the scheme could not go ahead the site would revert to the Treasury with the sale receipts lost to the local NHS.
The new centre was needed, she said, to accommodate three local GP practices. Property costs in the area were making it hard to attract younger GPs to the area. The problem would grow as current GPs approached retirement.
The Trust was looking at two main options for developing the site. The new housing was needed to pay for the health facilities. A planning application would be submitted in the new year.
The meeting was chaired by council leader Edward Lister. He said:
“The hospital has lain empty for too long. With building costs of £300,000 a year this is a dreadful waste of NHS resources. The council wants to see the site’s future resolved. This was an important first meeting which enabled the PCT to gauge the strength of local opinion on what will be a difficult site to develop. When the eventual proposal comes forward in the new year it will be the subject of extensive consultation in the area.”
November 2, 2004