New community hospital bid backed

The East of England SHA has cuts its deficit from £290m to £152m

Plans for a new community hospital in Essex have been given the backing of the NHS in the East of England.

The new hospital in Braintree will provide a range of outpatient, diagnostic and therapy services and en suite rooms for inpatients.

The new hospital will mean that fewer patients will need to travel to an acute hospital such as Chelmsford, for things like minor operations.

The plan has been backed by the East of England Strategic Health Authority.

Dr Paul Watson, NHS East of England director of commissioning, said: "It will really benefit the people living in Braintree and the surrounding areas to be able to use services closer to where they live.

"The building of the new hospital in Braintree absolutely fits with the improvements we have said we want to make in primary care."

The development at Braintree follows on from the start of work on the new buildings at Broomfield Hospital nearby in Chelmsford.

This development, due for completion in 2010, will include new wards, a new out-patient department, a new accident and emergency department, new maternity unit, new theatres for day surgery and a rooftop helipad.