MP seeks assurance on hospital rebuild

Mrs Anderson, in a stern letter to the East Lancashire Primary Care Trust, said the borough council and the East Lancashire Hospitals Trust were behind the project, but those parties were concerned the PCT did not share that vision.

She sent the letter after being disappointed that an initial bid for project cash was expected to miss its deadline at the end of the month.

In response, the PCT's chief executive said that the timescale had been "too ambitious and premature", and that the plan needed to be "robust" and "affordable".

The Rossendale Development Committee, of which Mrs Anderson is chairman, was set up under a massive review of all hospital services in East Lancashire which will see Burnley General lose its blue-light A&E services.

It brings together health and council bosses, and Valley residents, to discuss what should go on the site - and it was agreed this would involve knocking down the hospital for a "health campus".

But the PCT is now taking the lead in this and Mrs Anderson, in her letter, claimed there were now "some reservations on the part of some members of the committee".

She urged members to release more details on the PCT's plans to allay fears.

In the letter sent yesterday to PCT chief executive David Peat, she said: "The Rossendale Valley is now rife with rumours that our hospital is to be demolished and nothing is to take its place.

"The problem we face is that we now have total commitment from Rossendale Borough Council and the East Lancashire Hospitals Trust for a new facility for Rossendale, but there would appear to be serious questionmarks over whether your primary care trust shares our commitment and vision."

But Mr Peat told The Lancashire Telegraph: "Everyone can have a wish list, but our job is to help make things happen in a realistic and timetabled way.

"The Rossendale group's initial aspiration of getting in a bid now appears to have been perhaps too ambitious and premature.

"We need to work on the proposals in more detail, and make sure any bid for social enterprise funding is properly sanctioned, robust, affordable over time, and deliverable.

"That is the work being undertaken in the New Year."

He said he hoped the PCT could consider proposals for funding in the spring.

Letter from Janet Anderson MP to David Peat, chief executive of East Lancashire Primary Care Trust.

Dear David,

Proposals for a Health Campus in Rossendale As you are aware, at the last meeting of the Development Committee, which is considering proposals for a health campus and new community hospital for Rossendale (and which I chair), it was agreed with you that the Primary Care Trust would now take the lead on the Project Team in drawing up the detailed proposals to be submitted to the Strategic Health Authority and Ministers at the Department of Health. This course of action was agreed, albeit that there were some reservations on the part of some members of the committee, because it is the Primary Care Trust which has to submit the bid for funding.

The point was made at the meeting that at the very least an outline bid would need to be submitted by the end of December 2006. My recollection is that you said this would be possible and that, in any event, you had indicated to the Strategic Health Authority in July 2006 that one of the priorities of the Primary Care Trust would be such a bid for community facilities in Rossendale, so that would suffice as an early indication of interest.

I am, therefore, writing to you to ask what is now the state of play on this bid. Our development committee is not now due to meet again until February 2007, but it was my understanding that the Project Team would be meeting in the meantime to put the necessary wheels into action. Could you let me have an update on this please? Are we secure in the knowledge that what you said at the Development Committee meeting about having expressed an interest in a community facility for Rossendale in July 2006 is sufficient to qualify for an outline bid'?

I cannot over estimate the need for you to let me have these details without delay. The Rossendale Valley is now rife with rumours that our hospital is to be demolished and nothing is to take its place. The problem we face is that we now have total commitment from Rossendale Borough Council and the East Lancashire Hospitals Trust for a new facility for Rossendale but there would appear to be serious question marks over whether your Primary Care Trust shares our commitment and vision.

As I have said, it is only the Primary Care Trust that is able to put in the bid for funding and we therefore have no alternative but to put our trust in you in the belief that you will honour the undertaking you gave to us at our last Development Committee meeting, and to seek the approval of your board. I look forward to your assurance that you will do everything in your power to deliver this. You will, no doubt, understand that this is more than ever important given the recent announcements about the services at Rochdale and Fairfield.

For your information, I am releasing a copy of this letter to the local press.

Yours sincerely,

JANET ANDERSON MP

Statement from East Lancashire NHS Primary Care Trust to The Lancashire Telegraph.

PLANS to give Rossendale better community health provision will be given a boost by local health chiefs in the New Year.

Community health experts at East Lancashire Primary Care Trust have agreed to take leadership of the health campus' project along with Rossendale Council to prepare a fully worked-out proposition designed to give the Valley enhanced health facilities.

There had been speculation that a bid for social enterprise money from the Department of Health might be put in by the end of this year.

However, this was seen ultimately to be too ambitious and premature' given that a properly worked-out and planned approach is required before any outline submission for funding can be considered by the North West Strategic Health Authority, who are responsible for then putting forward chosen propositions for potential Government funding.

It is now hoped that with the PCT's help, proposals can be worked on during the first few months of the New Year, with tangible propositions being put forward for consideration by the PCT board during spring.

A spokesperson for the North West SHA confirmed that there was no imminent cut-off date for social enterprise bids. One set of initial bids was being dealt with in the New Year, with another set of regional proposals being up for consideration later in the year, giving plenty of time for any potential Rossendale bid to be put forward.

The SHA pointed out that the social enterprise bidding process involved £750 million of available funding over a five-year period, with individual bids aiming to gain a slice of the £150 million allocated for each of the five separate bidding years.

The latest positive moves come after Rossendale MP Janet Anderson arranged a meeting between council officials, local community representatives, and PCT health professionals, including Chief Executive David Peat.

Mr Peat, who was born and brought up in Rossendale, said: "It was a very positive meeting and the ideas being put forward now need to be worked on and fully costed so that a fully-workable and realistic case can be put forward with a view to bringing in the necessary funding.

"Everyone can have a wish list, but our job is to help make things happen in a realistic and timetabled way. The Rossendale group's initial aspiration of getting in a bid now appears to have been perhaps too ambitious and premature. The secret to success is a proper partnership, with all the interested bodies working together for a common goal, and providing the backing and funding where it is appropriate.

"We need to work on the proposals in more detail, and make sure any bid for social enterprise funding is properly sanctioned, robust, affordable over time, and deliverable. That is the work being undertaken in the New Year."

Mr Peat pointed out that the PCT had master-minded more than £5 million-worth of investment in Bacup Health Centre in the eastern end of the Valley, and was now looking at what could be done to expand services in the Rawtenstall-Haslingden.