Dulwich Hospital

[Paul]

Does anyone know what what's going on with the area of the hospital that's been knocked down? It happened months ago and since then nothing has happened. I heard there were plans to build a new comunity hospital but I can't find anything about this online.

[jr]

Try here -

http://www.dulwichcommunityhospital.nhs.uk/

It's owned by Southwark PCT, and it is still on the go as far as I know. Whether it is the whole site or not I don't know.

[Frisco]

A new community hospital is to be built on the site, together with other local health facilities.

[Dr De Soto]

> A new community hospital is to be built on the

> site, together with other local health facilities.

Or so they have been saying for the last 15 years. They don't think they will need all of the land taken up by the existing hospital (plus large pile of rubble), and there has been a long-standing dispute about what to do with the rest of the land: key worker housing? a school? or luxury executive apartments?

[dulwichmum]

How about an enormous new branch of Cafe Nero with parking for those of us with enormous four wheel drive vehicles?

[SimonM]

How about a purpose-built secondary school: I am sure this site is larger and altogether more suitable than the one by Peckham Rye...

[Dr De Soto]

Have to agree this would be the perfect site for an East Dulwich secondary school. But it will never happen: either they'll keep it for general NHS-related use, or (more likely I think) they'll flog it off for housing.

[Frisco]

"Or so they have been saying for the last 15 years. They don't think they will need all of the land taken up by the existing hospital (plus large pile of rubble), and there has been a long-standing dispute about what to do with the rest of the land: key worker housing? a school? or luxury executive apartments?"

I thought it was more like five years. Dulwich was part of Kings until five years ago, and in the run-up to the Jubilee Wing opening proposals for alternative use were being put forward.

Here's the architect's refurbishment feasibility report: http://www.dulwichcommunityhospital.nhs.uk/document_view.php?DID=00000000000000000193

And here is the business case from March 2007: http://www.southwarkpct.nhs.uk/document_view.php?PID=0000000745&DID=00000000000000001659

It's disappointing that there doesn't seem to have been any community consultation information issued recently and the last Dulwich Community Hospital Project Board and Community Involvement and Communications Group meeting scheduled to take place on Thursday 12 July 2007 doesn't appear to have been reconvened. If anyone is interested in finding out more, apparently they can contact Wendy Foreman, by email: [email protected] or phone: 020 7525 2245.

[Dr De Soto]

Frisco Wrote:

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> "Or so they have been saying for the last 15

> years. "

>

> I thought it was more like five years.

I was maybe exaggerating a little, but it goes back to the 1990s I think. I went to an (angry) public meeting about it at Thomas More hall attended by Tessa J. and that must have been seven years ago.

[Marmora Man]

I would question the whole premise of a hospital on the site.

It is possible to walk from East Dulwich Hospital to Kings in 20 m ins, drive there in 5 - 8 mins, travel by public transport in 20 - 30 mins. When I lived in Devon and N. Cornwall having a hospital within 90 drive time was considered pretty good going.

If the East Dulwich Hospital is to become a step down / rehab facility to enable bed blockers to be moved out of the main acute hospital - then I'm for it. If it is to be a minin acute hospital with full diagnostic facilities I would not. It makes more sense to concentrate high cost services (Imaging and path in particular) on one site in an area rather than many sites.

[Frisco]

"I would question the whole premise of a hospital on the site."

While it may be possible walk to Kings from Dulwich Hospital, the types on facilities planned for the new community hospital are not those that would be provided at a general and teaching hospital like Kings.

It could very well contain facilities for recuperation and rehabilitation, with treatments like physiotherapy, which are now mostly provided by the PCT. As I understand it, there's no intention of duplicating the services at Kings, and certainly not acute services.

[RoseK]

A year or so ago I read in the news that Ruth Kelly (or was it Tessa Jowell? - it might have been Jowell, and then Kelly when she got the job) said they would be building new high density housing on the Dulwich Hospital site - no debate. What happened to that ill-thought out plan? It baffles me how the hospital was half pulled down, instead of being refurbished, which it could so easily have been done. It was a solidly built, historic local landmark.

[dc]

There's no truth whatsoever in the first assertion re high density housing.

As for why the old building could not be utilised for a modern community hospital - see Frisco's contribution above:

Frisco said:

Here's the architect's refurbishment feasibility report: http://www.dulwichcommunityhospital.nhs.uk/document_view.php?DID=00000000000000000193

[LibraCarr]

Has anyone noticed the increase in rats since they pulled the hospital down?

[Emily]

Architects NEVER recommend the reuse of a beautiful old building. What's the fun for them in that?

[Frisco]

"Architects NEVER recommend the reuse of a beautiful old building. What's the fun for them in that?"

I don't know if you've ever been a regular patient or user of Dulwich Hospital as I have, but, in my opinion, its external visual appeal (which I appreciate) is really its only saving grace.

[Muttley]

Just wanted to flag this thread again. Everything has gone mysteriously quiet with Dulwich Community Hospital since a meeting got cancelled indefinitely last July. And they were in such a rush to pull down the old buildings in 2006, too. Anyone got any news?

[Ondine]

Anyone for a polyclinic?

[roxie99]

Apparently the local PCT have run out of money so building work has been shelved at the moment. I don't know for how long but may be start again next financial year?

[cdonline]

LibraCarr Wrote:

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> Has anyone noticed the increase in rats since they

> pulled the hospital down?

Yep. The demoliation of the hospital resulted in the release of an infestation of rats under the hospital, which were living under the East Dulwich Site.

They have spent a considerable amount trying to rid the problem, though how this affects the people around them, your guess is good as mine.

[SteveT]

Some might argue there was an infestation of said rodents before they pulled it down;-)