I recently visited Saffron Walden Community Hospital to find out how local health services are managing and to meet the team preparing part of the building for the relocation of Crocus Medical Practice.
Saffron Walden Community Hospital provides a number of community health services for local residents, including clinics for larger hospitals such as Addenbrooke’s in Cambridge, Broomfield Hospital and Essex Partnership University Hospital Trust which manages mental head services for Essex.
Despite the challenges the crisis has presented, the staff working out of the hospital have done a fantastic job to ensure they continue to look after residents that require their services through their outpatient department, midwives, health visitors, general surgeons, amongst others.
I also met with the team preparing part of the building for the relocation of Crocus Medical Practice, which will occupy a previously vacant wing of the Community Hospital, utilising under-occupied space to house their new surgery.
This is a very exciting project that so many stakeholders have worked hard to make happen, and it is one that is really going to benefit residents in Saffron Walden and surrounding villages.
Many GP surgeries are finding themselves short on space, with rising demand as well as the changes put in place due to the crisis. This relocation will provide additional capacity to deliver their services to the local community and I look forward to visiting the practice once it is complete and hearing how it has benefitted the practice and residents.
