New recommendations for the future of St Peter's Hospital 

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The working group established to review proposed changes to community hospital services has now submitted its recommendations to NHS Mid and South Essex. 

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Key recommendations

The working group has made several important recommendations:

1. St Peter's Hospital, Maldon: Investment to keep the facility operational for approximately five years while capital funding is assembled for a purpose-built new facility, ideally on a portion of the current site. This new facility would house outpatient services and create vital new primary care space for local GP services.

2. Inpatient Care: Acknowledgment that the NHS cannot efficiently operate an inpatient unit in Maldon due to low utilisation (maximum of two stroke beds needed for Maldon residents at any given time).

3. Stroke Services: Implementation of 'Option B' featuring a "split bed" approach, ensuring Southend residents who require specialist stroke inpatient rehabilitation can remain local, reducing travel burden on visiting families.

4. Birthing Services: preserving the approximately 14,000 pre and post-natal appointments that currently take place at St Peter's Hospital, Maldon each year while maintaining midwife led births at the William Julien Courtauld birthing centre at Braintree Community Hospital.

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National Picture

 In December the Government published its new National Planning Policy Framework for England.  This is a long and technical document which “provides a framework within which locally-prepared plans can provide for housing and other development in a sustainable manner”.  It will shape not only how Maldon District Council assesses all planning applications over the coming years but also how it – and we – put together the over-arching strategies for the development of our town.  The main changes will concern housing, but there’s lots there too about sustainable development, communities and the environment.

 

The Government has also begun two processes that will affect planning in Maldon:

 

• devolution – the Government has proposed that a Mayoral Combined County Authority is established covering Essex County Council, Southend on Sea City Council and Thurrock Council, to be known as the Greater Essex Combined County Authority.  The new Authority would have money and powers specifically to deal with housing and regeneration; local economic growth; adult skills; and local transport.  Essex County Council has voted to support the idea, and a consultation is underway.  The ambition is to have the changes completed in time for elections in spring 2026.

 

• local government reform – on a slightly longer timetable, the Government has invited district and county councils across England, including Essex, to ‘come forward’ with proposals for moving towards unitary authorities – that is, to merge county and district councils.  It is very possible that within two or three years Maldon District Council as we know it will no longer exist.

 

So some big changes are coming!

 

Local News

The large-scale housing developments around the town continue. Elsewhere, there has been a steady stream of planning applications that are a clear response to the climate crisis – photovoltaic cells on the Friends’ Meeting House, electric charging points at various places around the town, applications to replace air conditioning systems with heat pumps, and so on.  There has even been an application for some new and sustainable self-build homes, which don’t even need a developer!

 

These are very exciting, and suggest that Maldon is continuing to be a place of innovation and optimism.  Do come and talk to me about these and any other planning issues at one of the monthly meetings, or get in touch via the website.

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