Cranleigh Village Hospital Trust (CVHT) has announced plans to partner with leading care provider HC-One to develop proposals for the CVHT site at Knowle Lane in the centre of Cranleigh.

Since the final closure of the Village Hospital’s beds in 2006, CVHT has remained committed to the development of new health care facilities with an extended Outpatients Department and Community Beds for NHS and Social Care patients.

Royal Surrey County Hospital (RSCH) initiated discussions between HC-One and CVHT in mid-2015 with plans for the new facility being shaped through ongoing engagement with stakeholders including Surrey County Council (SCC) and Guildford and Waverley Clinical Commissioning Group (GWCCG).

HC-One has been selected as CVHT’s preferred delivery partner, and proposals have been developed for a state of the art 80-bed care home.  This will incorporate 20 Community Beds to be made available for use by GWCCG and SCC’s Adult Social Care Dept.  In addition, the proposal is for the development of an accommodation block providing affordable housing for 26 health workers.  CVHT will retain the Freehold of the property together with an ongoing interest in the management of the 20 Community Beds and the health worker accommodation.

CVHT and HC-One are pleased to announce that the proposals are now moving forward.

The development will provide much needed additional health and social care capacity in the local area, and will align with plans to improve facilities at the Old Village Hospital providing outpatient and diagnostic services.

Once delivered the proposals are expected to help alleviate delayed transfers of care of those ready for discharge at RSCH and assist in the staffing of health services across Cranleigh, along with a quality nursing home to be managed by the multi-award winning HC-One team.

HC-One is the UK’s third largest care provider with over 200 homes located across the country. HC-One’s multi-award winning training programme allows its staff to provide the kindest care. HC-One is also celebrating achieving the highest average rating of large corporate care home operators on the sector’s leading care home comparison website carehome.co.uk.

Cranleigh Village Hospital Trust Chairman, Robin Fawkner-Corbett, said:

“I am absolutely delighted to announce, after many months of negotiation, that CVHT has selected HC-One as our development partner. This company has an excellent track record in the care home industry, and is the most highly rated large care home group in the UK. Part of the attraction for us has been their proven experience in the provision of both NHS and Social Care nursing beds within their homes.”

“Alongside the provision of 20 Community Beds we are working with Cranleigh League of Friends and RSCH on the proposals for a new outpatient and diagnostics facility in the Old Village Hospital.”

“The other highly significant news is that CVHT has decided to use part of the remaining land on their Knowle Lane site for a 26 unit health-worker accommodation block. This move will make the appointment and retention of staff for both the Community Beds and the Outpatients Department that much easier.”