Andrew Mitchell has praised Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust for the “significant progress” agreed this week at their board meeting in respect of the development of the Royal Sutton Coldfield Cottage Hospital.
Nearly 2 years ago, working with the NHS in Birmingham, the Town’s MP Andrew Mitchell outlined a series of steps he wanted taken to reposition the Cottage Hospital so that it could deliver more health services in the Royal Town – particularly to assist elderly people tackle the problems inherent in old age.
These include helping to keep people out of secondary care, out of residential care, and more empowered to live independent lives in their own homes for longer.
At the time Andrew Mitchell said: “That surely is the aspiration of most people as they grow older in our community. The aim is to maximise their independence. Royal Sutton Coldfield Cottage Hospital has served our community for many years and it now needs to be upgraded to provide a wider variety of support for older people with a range of clinical requirements.”
The NHS community trust in Birmingham launched this new strategy just 4 months ago called “Best care: Healthy Communities” and this week the local trust agreed to support the further development of the Cottage Hospital. Their report agrees, to add this year a new team of clinicians providing additional district nursing services throughout the Royal Town, along with the growth in the range of outpatient facilities receiving further analysis and attention.
In particular, a new assessment will be undertaken to identify the necessary upgrade and refurbishment, with a commitment to include both detailed and funded plans for the next 2 to 3 years.
Andrew Mitchell said: “These proposals represent definite progress, but we should be clear that we are on a journey designed to secure real benefit for my older constituents in the future.”
