Today, Cranleigh Village Hospital Trust (CVHT) signed a Heads of Terms agreement with leading care-provider, HC-One, to create a new in-patient facility for Community Beds on CVHT’s Knowle Lane site, thus replacing the Cranleigh Village Hospital beds that were previously closed in 2006.
In signing this agreement CVHT and HC-One have agreed the principles that will duly enable the delivery of 20 Community Beds alongside 60 open-market care-home beds. In addition CVHT proposes to build an adjacent 26-unit accommodation block for local healthcare workers.
CVHT’s Chairman, Dr Robin Fawkner-Corbett, said: “This critical step forward is most fulfilling, and we are now confident that we can enable the delivery of high quality in-patient facilities for the local community. We are most impressed with the levels of enthusiasm and skill that HC-One has shown in reaching this point, and we look forward to continuing this excellent working relationship.”
This sentiment was echoed by HC-One Chairman, Dr. Chai Patel CBE, who added: “We are most excited about the opportunity to establish a first class care home with Community Beds in the heart of such an attractive village, and to bring the kindest care to the local community. HC-One consistently aims, in each of our communities, to be the first-choice care- provider for residents looking for the very best care and support, and to be the employer of choice for the best, most professional, and kindest care staff, with sector-leading career progression opportunities.”
Dr Fawkner-Corbett also said: “The new in-patient facility will, after many years of support from the local communities, clearly endorse Cranleigh Parish Council’s goodwill objectives when they agreed to a land- swap with a local benefactor, thereby providing an ideal location for the replacement of the previously closed beds.”
In this particular regard, Guildford MP, Anne Milton, added: “It will be great to see community beds provided again in Cranleigh, and this will be much welcomed by family and friends who want to visit and have their loved ones close by. My very grateful thanks go to all those who have kept this project alive and worked so hard for so long to bring it close to a reality.”
Guildford & Waverley Clinical Commissioning Group (G&WCCG) and Surrey County Council will be utilising the Community Beds to meet the needs of their patients and citizens. Moreover, the availability of these Community Beds will help alleviate the growing problem of delayed discharges of medically fit elderly patients from the Royal Surrey County Hospital.
The proposed 26-unit accommodation block for healthcare workers, will greatly assist in the recruitment and retention of staff not only for the Knowle Lane site, but also for the planned new diagnostic and outpatients units on the Cranleigh Village Hospital site. Such staff could otherwise be priced out of the area by the lack of affordable housing.
