- Future of Beckenham Beacon
The report of the Trust Special Administrator has been published. For the Beckenham Beacon it says
Feedback from stakeholders in Bromley has recognised the need to maximise the use of local estate, but also to ensure that there is a continued provision of local services that meets the needs of the local population. Specifically in its response to the consultation, Bromley CCG recognised the need to develop a portfolio of local community-based services, built around primary care, that provide a focus on health and wellbeing and support the use of hospital space for services that require the infrastructure of an acute hospital.
85. The CCG also recognised that the current range of outpatient services provided by South London Healthcare NHS Trust at Beckenham Beacon is not optimal, but also that there are services currently provided in a hospital setting that could be provided in the community, such as some sexual health services. In line with the Community-Based Care Strategy (see appendix O) and given the CCG’s commitment to Beckenham Beacon, the CCG intends to develop a planned care centre at the site that could include:
- an extended range of outpatient services, diagnostic facilities and simple procedures,
- to increase the volume of patients flowing through the existing space and support an extension of clinical hours;
- integrated services for older people at the site, including rapid access clinics, a day hospital for the elderly and therapy support;
- an extension of primary care on the site; and
- improvements to the current minor injuries and ailments services.
6. Bromley CCG will be working up more detail around these proposals. In addition to this, there will be a requirement for South London Healthcare NHS Trust to continue providing many of the services on the site while it improves the operational efficiency of services at princess royal university Hospital and while commissioners decide what they want to be provided from Beckenham Beacon in the future. In view of this, it is recommended that there should be a transitional period, during which the Trust continues to pay for some of the space within Beckenham Beacon, limited to the current rental charge. However, this support should be restricted to a three-year transitional period.
The Trust Special Administrator recommends that Kings Hospital Trust takes over PRU, and the PRU’s PPI debts are taken over by central government.
Jeremy Hunt, Secretary of State for Health will make a decision on the future of the South London NHS Trust in early February.