Calls for hospital funding due to new university

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Wednesday, 20 February 2019 15:09

By Carmelo Garcia - Local Democracy Reporter

County hospital chiefs are asking for £40,000 from plans for a new Hereford student block to avoid cancelled operations due to an expected increase in healthcare demand.

Cityheart Partnerships Ltd’s scheme to build the accommodation to house up to 178 students for Hereford College of Arts and New Model in Technology & Engineering will be debated by councillors next Wednesday.

But Wye Valley NHS Trust bosses have warned the hospital is running at full capacity and needs more funding to cope with the demand.

Health trust representatives said the extra strain would lead to a ‘a dramatic reduction in safety and quality’ as they would be ‘forced to operate over available capacity’ because they are unable to refuse emergency care.

“There will also be increased waiting times for planned operations and patients will be at risk of multiple cancellations,” a spokesperson said in the trust’s submissions on the scheme.

“This will be an unacceptable scenario for both the existing and new population.

“The contribution is necessary to maintain sustainable development.”

The health trust estimates that 178 new residents would generate 337 acute interventions over a period of a year and have requested a contribution of £41,208 from the development.

They say they would otherwise have no method of recovering the additional premium costs needed to ensure the level of service required.

“This contribution will be used directly to provide additional health care services to meet patient demand,” the spokesperson said.

“The population increase associated with this proposed development will significantly impact on the service delivery and performance of the trust until contracted activity volumes include the population increase.

Council officers have drafted an agreement to ensure the financial contribution to provide infrastructure at the hospital will be paid before construction begins.

The council will debate the proposals at 10am on February 27.

Officers have recommended approving the scheme subject to conditions.

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