Following careful review of all feedback and the evidence presented, NHS Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board has approved the following:
Summary of key decisions:
- Community outpatient and ambulatory care services at St Peter’s Hospital, Maldon will remain for up to five years while local NHS works to develop a new local health hub.
- A split-site stroke rehabilitation model will be introduced to improve access and reduce travel burden, with services based in Rochford and Brentwood.
- The freestanding midwife-led birthing unit previously at St Peter’s will be permanently relocated to Braintree, with antenatal and postnatal outpatient care remaining in Maldon.
Tom Abell, Chief Executive for NHS Mid and South Essex said: “The decisions reached today reflect our ambition to improve health services for everyone who lives in mid and south Essex.
“We listened carefully to the feedback we’ve received on these proposals, and I want to thank everyone involved, including the members of the community and the staff involved who gave up their time to give their views, which have informed the decisions we have made today.
“There will be a period of implementation, during which we will work closely with staff and local communities to ensure they are actively involved as their expertise will be critical in ensuring we get the best possible outcomes for patients because of these changes.”