SUPERHOSPITAL

Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4
 

The latest proposals for the redevelopment of the former DRI site have been revealed. Twenty acres of land at the plot on London Road are available following the opening of the Royal Derby Hospital. Revised plans include shops, about 450 new homes, offices and a hotel.

It is proposed that the development be known as Nightingale Quarter. Some services at the DRI, now known as the London Road Community Hospital, will be incorporated on part of the site. Emergency services were transferred to the Royal Derby Hospital when it opened last year.

Derrick Conway, assistant estates director of Derby Hospitals NHS Trust, said, "The land, which occupies a prime location in the heart of the city, is an important development site and represents an opportunity to make a real difference to the facilities available on the eastern fringes of the city. We would like to encourage local residents and businesses to come and look at the revised proposals and have their say on the proposals, which we believe will transform the appearance of this part of the city." (Source: BBC News, Sep/10)

Nearly half of all hospital kitchens and canteens in England could be failing to meet basic standards of cleanliness and hygiene. Vermin, cockroaches and mouse droppings, medical waste on food handling equipment and poor person hygiene among catering staff were all cited as problems. A report said dozens of hospitals were failing to store food at the correct temperature, while 18 had food that was out of date, putting patients' health at risk.

The findings came from a Freedom of Information request submitted to a quarter of all English local authorities, asking them for their local authority health inspection reports into the food preparation areas of hospitals within their authority. It revealed nearly a fifth of hospitals surveyed kept food at the wrong temperature or in unsafe conditions, while 11 hospitals had problems with vermin. Of the 377 hospitals included in the responses, 173 displayed poor cleanliness and 68 fell below the legal requirements for food storage conditions.

A total of 107 hospitals did not have correct food safety documentation, 25 had inadequate staff training and 66 stored food at incorrect temperatures. The findings showed 11 institutions had a vermin or pest problem while 57 had staff with poor personal hygiene or a lack of hand washing. In six hospitals, inspections highlighted five or more areas of concern. These were: Farnham Road Hospital in Guildford, Churchill Hospital in Oxford, Blackpool Victoria Hospital in Blackpool, City Hospital in Derby, Ipswich Hospital in Ipswich and Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital in Norwich. (Source: Daily Mail, Aug/07)

In 2005 Buxton Hospital's minor injuries unit began closing its doors at 8pm on weekdays and is now extending this to include weekend evenings. Health officials claim the early closure is due to staff shortages and cash problems. Councillor Andrew Bingham said, "I understand the trust has to balance their books but they should not be cutting vital services. They should treat according to clinical need and to cut the minor injuries unit is reducing frontline services. They should look at some of the bureaucracy and cut waste." The High Peak and Dales Primary Care Trust currently has a £2.9m budget shortfall. (Source: BBC News, Mar/06)

<<< Prev