PEOPLE living in north Northumberland are being encouraged to give their views about plans to build a new hospital in Berwick.
Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is organising a series of roadshows during the coming weeks to find out what people want from a new hospital.
The trust has plans to replace the existing Berwick Infirmary with a new, purpose-built facil
ity and is proposing to take a mobile exhibition trailer to a number of communities.
The first venue for the roadshow will be the market in Marygate, Berwick, from 8am to 12.30pm on Saturday, October 31, followed by Tweedmouth Retail Park in the afternoon.
Throughout the next week-and-a-half, it will visit more than 20 venues including Wooler, Seahouses, Holy Island, Milfield and Cornhill. It will also go to a number of places in Berwickshire.
The concept of potentially rebuilding Berwick's facilities was supported in principle by NHS North of Tyne's Commissioning Board in August along with other proposals by the trust to build a new emergency care hospital, upgrade North Tyneside and Wansbeck general hospitals and rebuild Haltwhistle community hospital.
Residents have already shown overwhelming support to progress plans for a new Berwick hospital with independent research carried out as part of the recent NHS North of Tyne consultation finding that 93 per cent were in favour.
During the consultation, the trust was asked to discuss the plans in detail with local people and the roadshow is a result of that.
It will allow the trust to talk to residents about existing health services and how they could be developed and seek people's thoughts about where a new hospital could best be located.
This work is being done in advance of plans for a new hospital for Berwick being progressed in order to allow local people's views to truly shape the development.
The roadshows are also to raise awareness of what services are available at the existing premises.
Steve Russell, trust director responsible for community hospitals, said: "As we begin to think about our plans to rebuild Berwick Infirmary, the views of local people are really important.
"We would like to know residents' views now so they can help us put together plans which suit the population's needs.
"We will be visiting a number of locations in Berwick and many communities in the surrounding areas in order to reach as many people as possible.
"We would encourage anyone with an interest in Berwick Infirmary to have a say on how it is developed."
The views expressed will help the trust develop a business case for the new hospital.
This would need to be approved by the Trust Board and a formal public consultation would need to be held before any decisions are made.
Roadshow schedule:
Saturday, October 31 8am – 12.30pm The market, Marygate, Berwick;
Saturday, October 31 1pm – 4pm Tweedmouth Retail Park, Northumberland Rd, Tweedmouth, Berwick;
Monday, November 2 9.30am – 11.30am Bus station, Wooler;
Monday, November 2 12pm – 2pm Percy Arms Hotel car park, Chatton;
Monday, November 2 2.30pm – 4pm Market Place, Belford;
Tuesday, November 3 9am – 11am Post Office, Marygate, Holy Island;
Tuesday, November 3 11.30am – 1.30pm Council car park, Bamburgh
Tuesday, November 3 2pm – 4pm Council car park, Seahouses;
Wednesday, November 4 9.30am – 11.30am Council car park, High Street, Coldstream;
Wednesday, November 4 12pm – 2pm Post office, Cornhill;
Wednesday, November 4 2.30pm – 4pm Swan Centre for Leisure car park, Northumberland Rd, Tweedmouth, Berwick;
Thursday, November 5 9.30am – 11.30am The main street, Lowick;
Thursday, November 5 12pm – 2pm Milfield Country Café car park, Milfield;
Thursday, November 5 2.30pm – 3.15pm Hugh Joicey C of E Aided First School, Ford;
Friday, November 6 9.30am – 11am Castle Street, Norham;
Friday, November 6 12pm – 1.30pm The main street, Paxton;
Friday, November 6 2pm – 4pm Council car park, Coldingham;
Saturday, November 7 9am – 12.30pm Castlegate car park, Berwick;
Saturday, November 7 1.30pm – 5pm Eyemouth Leisure Centre car park, North Street, Eyemouth;
Monday, November 9 9am – 11am Knoll Hospital and Health Centre car park, Station Rd, Duns;
Monday, November 9 12pm – 3.30pm Berwick High School, Adams Drive, Spittal, Berwick;
Tuesday, November 10 9.30am – 11.30am Newtown Street council car park, Duns;
Tuesday, November 10 12.30pm – 2pm Chirnside Medical Practice, South Crofts, Chirnside;
Tuesday, November 10 2.30pm – 4.30pm Morrisons car park, North Road, Berwick.