THE process which will lead to a new community hospital for the Forest is expected to be started in earnest tomorrow (Thursday).

The board of the Gloucestershire Care Services NHS Trust – which runs Lydney and the Dilke hospitals – is expected to give its backing to the ‘Forest of Dean Case for Change’ which will go out to public consultation.

The document, which is part of the a wider ‘transformation plan’ for the NHS in Gloucestershire does not specify where the new hospital will be – although one group of campaigners have already started drumming up public support for it to be in Lydney.

An opening statement in the document confirms the “commitment to enhancing primary and community-based services in the Forest of Dean.”

It states: “Whilst proud of the healthcare services currently provided in the Forest of Dean, it is recognised that there is a need for investment in new infrastructure to support the provision of modern health and care services.”

But it says the existing ‘healthcare estate’ – including two hospitals and three health centres – “is no longer fit-for-purpose and does not efficiently support the provision of modern, effective, high-quality care.”

It says maintaining some essential services across two community hospitals is becoming increasingly unsustainable, the current system is disjointed for patients and staff, and there are significant needs in the Forest which are not being met effectively or equitably.

“Investment in new estate will, we believe, enable us to better support the health and well-being of the local population.

“It will also enable the NHS to work in new ways that will enable community-based services to integrate more directly with local primary care with the aim of providing more care within the Forest of Dean and reducing unnecessary reliance on acute hospital services.”

The aim will also be to reduce the number of people needing to be admitted to hospital through improved working with GPs and community-based health teams – leading to a reduction in the number of beds, currently 21 in Lydney and 26 in the Dilke.

“To best support the people of the Forest of Dean, there is a clear ambition to co-ordinate community-based services around improved and extended GP practices in order to provide highly responsive, effective and personalised services outside hospital and ensure the delivery of care in, or as close to, people’s homes.

“Equally, there is a clear commitment to improve the quality and accessibility of community services, although the emerging models of care suggest that current healthcare facilities are not in a suitable condition to support and deliver these.”

The Friends of Lydney Hospital have made it clear they would like to see a hospital retained in the town, although not necessarily on its current site.

Speaking at the opening of the hospital fete on Saturday, Friends’ chairman Tony Midgley said: “Here in Lydney we are extremely grateful to have our hospital and we don’t want to lose our hospital.

“The report includes a clear statement that the Dilke and Lydney are reaching the end of their useful lives and they will need to be replaced at some point in the future.”

He was backed by Lydney Paralympic champion Andy Lewis who officially opened the fete and is a long-term supporter of the hospital.

He said: “I really do hope that those people who use it get out and show their support for it.”

The Friends invited people at the fete to fill in a questionnaire highlighting what services are important to them.