Wantage Community Hospital is set to undergo a refurbishment following a nine month period of discussions with the public.
Wantage and Grove residents have engaged with consultations over the future services that can be provided at the hospital.
These discussions were placed at the heart of a joint report created by the NHS and the Wantage Town Council Health Committee.
The refurbishment will be subject to a successful application for community investment levy funding from the Vale of White Horse District Council.
The plan is to submit the application following a public meeting scheduled for June 18 at The Beacon’s Lockinge room.
Running from 6pm to 7.30pm, officials from Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board will detail the engagement process up to that point.
The proposed refurbishment design and the types of services planned for the ground floor space of the hospital will be clarified during this meeting.
The hope is the meeting will give people an opportunity to understand what is being planned and why.
Feedback gathered will form part of the final submission for community investment levy funding, due to be submitted this summer.
Work on the refurbishment is expected to start later this year, with services being delivered from early 2025.
Before this, there will be a public engagement on the final design and service configuration plans in Autumn.
The full ground floor refurbishment project is expected to conclude by Summer 2025.
The existing maternity unit service, housed on the top floor, will not be impacted by these proposed adjustments.
Several out-patient services, piloted since November 2021, will continue to be delivered, such as ophthalmology, audiology, mental health services, and GP clinics.
Additionally, services for learning disabilities, diabetes screening and physiotherapy will continue.
Other services already in place at the hospital will also be retained.
These include podiatry, adult and children’s speech and language therapy, children’s integrated therapy services and physiotherapy.
The school nursing team, now located at the nearby health centre to form part of the new 0-19 healthy child and young person’s service, will also be retained.
The hospital is working with healthcare providers including Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Principle Medical Ltd, Connect Health and Health Share to identify a range of sustainable services that could be offered from the ground floor to best meet the needs of the community.
The hospital said following a period of public engagement that took place last Autumn, it is currently engaging with community groups to ascertain their views on how best to configure services and access to these on the ground floor of the hospital.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel