PLANNING
A key focus of the Society is to keep watch on the weekly planning applications for the town of Maldon, especially its historic centre, and also its immediate surroundings including Langford and Heybridge.
As well as trying to ensure our many buildings of historic or public interest are protected, we seek to ensure that any new developments are appropriate to their visual context and the needs of the town.
New recommendations for the future of St Peter's Hospital
The working group established to review proposed changes to community hospital services has now submitted its recommendations to NHS Mid and South Essex.
Key recommendations
The working group has made several important recommendations:
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St Peter's Hospital, Maldon: Investment to keep the facility operational for approximately five years while capital funding is assembled for a purpose-built new facility, ideally on a portion of the current site. This new facility would house outpatient services and create vital new primary care space for local GP services.
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Inpatient Care: Acknowledgment that the NHS cannot efficiently operate an inpatient unit in Maldon due to low utilisation (maximum of two stroke beds needed for Maldon residents at any given time).
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Stroke Services: Implementation of 'Option B' featuring a "split bed" approach, ensuring Southend residents who require specialist stroke inpatient rehabilitation can remain local, reducing travel burden on visiting families.
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Birthing Services: preserving the approximately 14,000 pre and post-natal appointments that currently take place at St Peter's Hospital, Maldon each year while maintaining midwife led births at the William Julien Courtauld birthing centre at Braintree Community Hospital.