December 2022 – construction update
Contractors Kier have been making good progress on the site of the new Bakewell integrated health hub. We took a look on site in mid-December to see the massive excavations and preparatory work ready for the foundations of the £10.5m building.
On the same day we also hosted a visit from BBC TV East Midlands Today who came to film a progress report about this major investment in community health services in the Derbyshire Dales, being developed in partnership by East Midlands Ambulance Service and Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust.
For patients
Q. I come to Newholme Hospital for my clinic appointments. What will happen to my appointments when the new building opens?
A. All the clinics currently held in Newholme Hospital will be moving into the new building when it opens. So your appointments will be in the new building when it opens. We will let you know well in advance where to go.
Q. When will the new Bakewell integrated health hub be open for patient care?
A. We are expecting that the new building will be ready to open the doors to patients in early 2024 if everything continues to go according to plan.
Q. Will you close Newholme Hospital before the new building is opened and if so, what will happen to my appointments?
A. We will not close Newholme Hospital until the new building is ready. Your appointments will continue at Newholme Hospital until you are invited to attend appointments in the new building instead.
Q. How will I know where my next appointment will be?
A. Your appointments will continue to be held at Newholme Hospital until early 2024. We’ll let you know where your appointments will be held in the new building. Your appointment invitation will always give you the time, date and location of your appointment, if you are in doubt.
General Q&As
Q. What is going to happen to Newholme Hospital building when it closes?
A. Newholme Hospital is owned by NHS Property Services, which is a national arm of the NHS dedicated to property management. You may have seen a “for sale” board at the entrance to the old hospital site and it will be a decision for NHS Property Services and any prospective buyers to decide what happens to the 19th century building. However, it is protected by Listed Building status so any future use of the building will need to be in accordance with its listed status.
Q. What is an integrated health hub?
A. It means that health services are more coordinated around the needs of patients and more connected with each other. This means we are integrating different sorts of health services better for local communities in the Bakewell area. This development brings together a range of community-based services into a new building which is fit for modern healthcare.
East Midlands Ambulance Service, our partners in this development, transferred ownership of the former ambulance station site to us to enable us jointly to form a combined site for the health hub which is sympathetic to the local area. The former ambulance station and the former Riverside Ward have been demolished to make way for the new building.
Q. Can you summarise what this development is?
A. This development represents investment of nearly £10.5 million in a healthcare regeneration scheme for the local community involving Derbyshire Community Health Services and East Midlands Ambulance Service, working in partnership towards shared facilities, serving the Bakewell area.
Q. When did contractors move onto the site?
A. Contractors Kier began work on site in late July 2022 and we celebrated with a turf cutting ceremony in August 2022: Turf cutting marks the start on site for £10.5 million new health hub in Bakewell :: Derbyshire Community Health Services (dchs.nhs.uk)
Q. What services will be provided in the new building?
A. The new building will be a base for:
- Ambulance hub – East Midlands Ambulance Service
- Audiology
- Children’s services
- Complex wound care hub
- Continence clinic
- Diabetes education
- Diabetic retinopathy
- Health psychology
- Integrated community team – community nurses and community therapy
- Older people’s mental health – Living Well with Dementia
- Parkinson’s clinic
- Physiotherapy and musculoskeletal services
- Podiatry
- Speech and language therapy
- Stimulate - integrated care pathways Long Covid research.
Q. What is the timeline for the project, from start to finish?
Timeline - Key Dates
- 2017: 19th century Newholme Hospital earmarked for closure as not suitable for the delivery of modern healthcare, as agreed in the Better Care Closer to Home consultation.
- December 2018: £8.58m awarded by the Department of Health and Social Care for a new Bakewell health facility. This was from the government’s Sustainability and Transformation Partnership. This fund is designed to transform health and social care for local communities.
- November 2020: virtual public engagement to share proposed plans for the new health facilities and ambulance station in Bakewell. This involved an interactive Q&A evening and a two-week virtual public exhibition to gather comments and feedback ahead of submitting a formal planning application.
- April 2021: Planning approval was granted by Peak Park Authority planning committee.
- August 2021: Tenders invited.
- May 2022: Kier was appointed as contractor.
- July 2022: Kier started on site.
- Late 2023: anticipated handover of the building to the NHS.
- Early 2024: anticipated opening of the doors for patient care.
Q. What will be included in the new building?
A. The new building will include:
- Ground floor
- Main entrance with toilet and Changing Places facility.
- Transport waiting room.
- A staircase and two lifts for accessibility.
- East Midlands Ambulance Service hub.
- Upper floor
- Large waiting area and reception.
- Designated children’s area.
- Toilets, a baby feeding and baby changing rooms.
- 10 consultation rooms.
- 4 treatment rooms.
- Group room.
- Office space.
Q. Will the new building fit into the heritage of the local area?
A. We worked closely with Peak Park Authority to ensure our designs are sympathetic to the heritage of the area while also providing a building which is suitable to meet the needs of 21st century community-based healthcare.
Q. What is happening with Newholme Hospital League of Friends?
A. We are immensely grateful for the support of Newholme Hospital League of Friends over many years. The League decided to wind up the charity and have transferred residual funds totalling approximately £100,000 to DCHS Charitable Funds towards the new build.
Where can I find more information?
If you have any questions which are not covered in these FAQs please email: dchst.communications@nhs.net.