MALVERN MAY GET AN EARLY CHRISTMAS PRESENT

6.17.00am GMT Mon 19th Nov 2007

West Worcestershire's Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate, Richard Burt today met with Worcestershire Primary Care Trust's Chief Executive, Paul Bates to talk about plans for a new community hospital for Malvern district. Mr Burt was told that the £17 million capital investment needed to build the long-awaited hospital at the Seaford Court site may now be secured before Christmas.

Commenting after the meeting, Richard Burt said:

"Malvern residents have understandably become sceptical that a new community hospital will ever be built, particularly after so many broken promises and so many false dawns.

"But for the first time in a decade, it seems that the PCT is within touching distance of the money it needs."

Richard had previously written to the Secretary of State for Health to press the case for Malvern's share of the Government's £150million Community Hospitals Fund.

"Although the PCT was unsuccesful in the first round of bidding, I have been assured that Malvern has one of the strongest second round cases to go before the Minister for approval.

"If the PCT bid is successful, then they will be in a position to prepare the full business plan for approval before signing a contract to deliver the new hospital. All this could happen within the next two years"

"With extra beds and additional running costs of around £1million per year, the PCT would be looking for partners to deliver the best possible range of services in the new facilities, but Mr Bates has assured me that extra money is now available within the Trust's own development budget without needing to cut back on existing services.

"All of us in the Malvern area will now hold our breath in the hope of an early Christmas present from the Treasury!" added Mr Burt.