Bristol Community Health is getting excited about 2010 which will see the start of building for the new South Bristol Community Hospital.

The new hospital will provide people in South Bristol local access to a range of services including a state-of-the-art Urgent Care Centre which will include on site X-ray and other diagnostic services as well as a GP out of hours service and GP surgery.

Staff at the new Urgent Care Centre will be able to deal with a variety of conditions that adults and children would otherwise have to go to hospital emergency departments to be diagnosed and treated. Some of these services are already available at the Walk in Centre at Knowle West Health Park, but when the service moves to the new hospital, staff will be able to manage more patients with complex needs.

The centre also offers an alternative to people who need to see a GP urgently at evenings and weekends, and who can't wait until they can go to their own doctor.

The new hospital will also provide other diagnostic tests; booked appointments with hospital consultants and other specialists; a day surgical treatment centre and an integrated community rehabilitation service with inpatient beds.

Bristol Community Health managing director Sue Field said: “We are excited that 2010 will see the new South Bristol Community Hospital start to take shape. It has taken some time to get here, but it is great news that the plans are now moving forward. This hospital will make a difference in how we provide health care to people in Bristol, particularly those in the South and it is a real sign of progress. The hospital will be good news for people including anyone who thinks they may have broken a bone – they will be X-rayed and cared for immediately in South Bristol without having to go into the city centre.”

The project is now proceeding to the final stage of contract signing and financial close, which is planned for February 2010, after which construction of the hospital will begin within a few weeks.

Building work is scheduled to take 24 months and it is estimated that the first patients will begin to be treated in Spring 2012.

A public consultation on the proposals was undertaken in 2004 and, throughout this process, local people signalled their strong support for a new facility to provide local health services which will replace the facilities at the 19th Century Bristol General Hospital.

The development of a new community hospital in South Bristol is part of a wider strategy to improve health services nearer to home for people across Bristol and in neighbouring areas which includes the development of easy to access Walk-In centres, five new dental surgeries throughout the city, new GP surgeries in Broadmead and more.

For more information: South Bristol Community Hospital