Mersey Care get permission for state of the art new mental health facility in Southport
Wednesday, July 19, 2017 — An historic hospital site in Southport will be given a new lease of life serving the health needs of the local community
Sefton Council’s Planning Committee has granted Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust permission to build a new mental health facility at the existing Boothroyd Mental Health Unit, off Scarisbrick New Road. It will rejuvenate the only remaining hospital provision left on the former Southport General Infirmary site.The proposal by Mersey Care and Liverpool Sefton Health Partnership (LSHP) will combine local mental health inpatient care and some related community services on the one site. It will provide 44 single en-suite bedrooms and replace Mersey Care’s existing Hesketh Centre, situated close to Hesketh Park, which will close once the new facility is complete.
In recommending planning consent, subject to strict conditions, the council’s planning report concluded: “The development would support one of the council’s priorities in providing an improved health facility particular in relation to mental health, and would remove a part derelict site on a key route into Southport town centre.”
Mersey Care’s Chief Executive Joe Rafferty said: “We welcome this decision which represents a major step closer in our ambition to build a new mental health facility in Southport. With the support of our health partners, if we continue on schedule we hope to hold a ceremony to officially mark the start of ground works before the end of this year, with the whole new-build complete later in 2019.
“People in our care deserve the best standards of accommodation and therapeutic environments within the resources we have. This new hospital builds on the success of our most recent hospital at Clock View, Walton, and goes a long way towards parity for the people of Sefton who access our services.”
The hospital will feature a range of safe inner garden areas where patients will have access to open space, therapeutic and activity areas, with facilities such as a sacred space and a family visiting room, where children can visit their parents or grandparents in a child-friendly area.
Among the clauses attached to planning consent is the provision of on-site car parking for staff and visitors, road access, walkway and delivery arrangements, planting and screening close to residential neighbours, and close working with the authority on a range of building conditions.
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