£28m vision for Birkenhead's St Catherine’s Hospital

Jun 18 2008 by Lorna Hughes, Birkenhead News

Kathy Doran Wirral PCT chief exec

VICTORIAN buildings at Birkenhead’s historic St Catherine’s Hospital could be demolished to make way for a £28m community hospital.

Health bosses are launching a 12-week consultation on the proposals next month, which would see clinical services moved to new buildings constructed on the main park.

Once completed, the site’s current buildings - which Wirral Primary Care Trust believes are “outdated” - would be demolished to create a new car park.

The PCT says the change would allow St Cath’s to provide new services including outpatient clinics, minor and day surgery, X-rays and other tests.

The changes could also see two nearby GP practices - Devaney Medical Centre and Victoria Park Health Centre - moving to the new building.

Dr Abhi Mantgani, Wirral PCT’s medical director for Birkenhead, said: “The development would bring a wide range of health services to local people’s doorstep, enabling them to be treated at the right place, by the right people, at the right time.

“We want to give them an unprecedented level of choice and convenience.”

Wirral PCT says that any GP surgeries moving to the site would remain independent, and patients would continue to be registered with their own doctor.

The consultation will be launched on July 7 and Wirral PCT hopes the new hospital could be open by 2011.

The plans have been welcomed by Birkenhead MP Frank Field.

Kathy Doran, chief executive of Wirral PCT, said: “We want St Catherine’s to be a community hospital in the truest sense.

“Our proposals would give the site a new lease of life, ensuring that it not only plays a real role in health and wellbeing of local people, but also contributes to the regeneration of the Tranmere area.”