Council urges government not to delay Cornwall's new Women and Children's Unit
Officials have endorsed the outline business case for the site at Treliske
Cornwall councillors have backed a new Women and Children's Unit at Cornwall's main hospital and urged the government not to delay the £291million scheme.
The council's health and adult social care overview and scrutiny committee endorsed the outline business case for the new unit.
The unit is part of the government's bid to build 40 new hospitals which was launched by the then Prime Minister Boris Johnson in 2019.
The new Women and Children's Unit will replace facilities that have been described as "dated and in poor physical condition”.
As well as providing a new space for maternity and paediatric services, the new unit will also act as a new front entrance for Royal Cornwall Hospital Treliske. Work is hoped to start on the new unit in 2024 and could be completed by Autumn 2028.
At Tuesday's committee meeting, councillors were shown a "fly-through" video of the new unit which took them on a virtual tour of the new building.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service asked for a copy of the video to share with readers, but RCHT said that it was waiting to release the video at a public launch event.
Thom Lafferty, director of strategy and performance at RCHT, told the committee that the outline business case would be submitted for consideration by the Department of Health and Social Care and the Treasury.
He explained that whilst the cost of the scheme was "significantly higher", as it has increased from £186m to £291.7m, this was still within the limits allowed for the project.
He said: "The reason we are so excited about this (project) is that firstly it replaces significantly deteriorating estate on the site with the Princess Alexandra wing and the Tower Block. More excitingly it allows us to roll out new models of services for women and children’s services – it will be better than what is provided nationally".
Mr Lafferty said that it would also provide a "long term solution" for services that will make way for the new building and would provide a new front door for Treliske.
He said that the reorientation of the site to make the Women and Children's Unit the centre would improve it for patients and staff.
Councillor Loveday Jenkin said that she was keen to see work start: "Nobody would say it is not a good thing. I remember 34 years ago they were talking about this; it has taken a long time to get here.
“We are still in another outline business case, anything that we can do to make sure it happens is a good thing.
"We do need to express concern that it has taken so long to get to this stage. I don't want us to get all enthusiastic about this and then the plug is pulled again".
After seeing the video Jayne Kirkham said: "It is lovely. I agree with Cllr Jenkin, we need to make some representation as we have been very concerned about this, it has been on off for a long time. We thought work would have started on this by now.
"It is a much needed and long required resource. This was part of a promise made by this government, under a different Prime Minister, but we need to make sure it is delivered".
The committee agreed to provide a letter in support of the outline business case for the Women and Children's Unit and to also make further representation outlining the committee's concerns about there being no further delay to the project.
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