Gloucestershire hospitals for sale as NHS transitions to new site

The Forest of Dean Community Hospital is due to open in Spring 2024

Two community hospitals will be put up for sale as part of plans to transition to a new site.

Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust is building a new 24-bed community hospital in the Forest of Dean.

The new facility will replace the Dilke Memorial Hospital and Lydney and District Hospital.

The Forest of Dean Community Hospital is due to open in Steam Mills, Cinderford in Spring 2024.

It is being built on the site of Collingwood Skatepark and Lower High Street Playing Field, which will put it close to the town centre.

The trust said the hospital would be accessible whether patients or visitors travel by car or public transport.

The Dilke Memorial Hospital will close, along with Lydney and District Hospital

Both sites have been registered as Assets of Community Value, meaning they could be used in the future to further the social wellbeing or social interests of the local community.

Any community who wish to purchase the sites, or parts of them, will have six weeks to prepare and express an initial bid.

The health trust had planned to move the existing X-ray machine from Lydney hospital to the new hospital, which would cause disruption to X-ray services.

Having now agreed funding, the trust is in conversation with potential suppliers about installing a new machine, which should provide a smoother transition for X-ray services in the Forest.

One part of the Lydney Hospital site, Stonebury House, will be retained by the trust as it will continue to be occupied by several teams for the foreseeable future.

The Lydney and District Hospital site will be marketed by Alder King.

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