Chiswick Health Centre Could Be Closed for Five Years
Stamford Brook replacement looks set to be used for longer than originally expected
Chiswick Medical Centre
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Patients from the Chiswick Health Centre in Fisher's Lane could be without a surgery on that site for five years while redevelopment takes place.
While the project will involve a good deal of disruption by relocating the GP practices and ancillary services, a timeframe of up to two years had originally been anticipated while rebuilding takes place.
However, the Design & Access statement which is part of the planning application for the change of use of the temporary facility in Stamford Brook, refers to the building being used as a health centre for five years.
It says the document has been prepared "on behalf of NHS Property Services in support of a temporary healthcare facility to be provided at the premises for approximately 5 years during the redevelopment of a new Chiswick Health Centre."
Hounslow Clinical Commissioning Group issued a statement after we asked for comment, saying: "NHS Property Services and NHS Hounslow CCG have submitted a full planning application seeking the temporary change of use of Stamford Brook Centre to a Health Centre.
"The site forms part of the wider redevelopment proposals at Chiswick Health Centre as the NHS plans to relocate clinical services for a period of two to three years whilst Chiswick Health Centre is redeveloped to provide a high quality Health Centre and much needed new housing.
"The application at Stamford Brook Centre seeks a temporary five year permission for contingency reasons, to cover all eventualities, as NHS projects can be changeable and in light of changes to market demands which could result in a delay. The planning application will be determined by London Borough of Hounslow in due course. "
The Chiswick centre in Fisher's Lane is set to be demolished and redeveloped to include residential units, and over 20,000 and patients from its three surgeries will be relocated to the temporary facility at 14-16 Stamford Brook Avenue, almost a mile away. It is not yet known when the re-location will take place.
The plans will see the Chiswick Health Centre site developed into a 4-6 block with a new 2,500 sq m medical centre at the eastern end by the junction with Fishers Lane and 48 flats including five wheelchair accessible units at the western end. Both buildings will be set around a central courtyard.
The building at Stamford Brook which will be used to accommodate staff and patients during the rebuild, is a former three-storey nursing home dating back to the 1980s, which was converted into offices in 2005. It was previously the location of the Hammersmith and Fulham Learning Disabilities team. The building is accessed via Stamford Brook Avenue and located at the bottom of a cul-de-sac.
An application has been lodged with the local planning authority for a Change of Use of the premises at 14-16 Stamford Brook, to become a health centre together with some internal alterations in order to facilitate this change. Externally, 3 additional parking spaces are to be provided, bringing the total number from 5 to 8.
The plans reveal how the layout would be changed to accommodate clinical services, both
group and individual activity. The clinical rooms include examination/ consultation, treatment, counselling, minor procedures as well as specialist audiology activity.
The exterior of the building will remain unchanged.
Currently three surgeries operate from the centre Chiswick Health Practice, West 4 GPs and Chiswick Family Doctors Practice. Over 20,000 people are registered for treatment at the centre.
Stamford Brook Centre which will be temporary base
Reliable sources have told chiswickw4.com that the Chiswick Dental Practice at Fisher's Lane will remain on Chiswick High Road and will relocate to the building formerly occupied by Carphone Warehouse.
While it is likely that the rebuilding process would take two years minimum from the granting of planning approval, the mention of a five year period is likely to be a cause for concern for those living further away from the new temporary surgery.
There is a five minute walk for an able bodied person from all the public transport options at the Stamford Brook Centre which will be a lot longer for the elderly or someone with a mobility disability.
The plans for Fisher's Lane Centre
The new medical centre will be of a size sufficient to cope with growing demand for health services in the area according to the presentation boards. It is envisaged that the Chiswick centre will be one of six hubs in the borough which will provide enhanced out of hospital care from GPs and other community providers.
The existing building is run down and no longer provides a suitable location for improved health services with the situation on the first floor requiring a long ramp which causes inconvenience to many users of the centre.
View of new Chiswick health centre from Dolman Road
The NHS say that the plans are ‘healthcare led’ and have been assessed by the Hounslow Clinical Commissioning Group. The lack of funds for health services has required sites to be development to get revenue from property sales to fund the new facility.
They add, "Capital funding is not available to fund the new healthcare centre which is desperately needed. The delivery of new homes will generate the funding required to provide this facility.
The capital funding for the building has already been identified under the Shaping a Healthier Future Implementation Business Case however this does not include costs associated with fitting out the new premises.
Chiswick Health Centre has been identified as one of six primary care hubs that will be serving the population of Hounslow borough.
It is envisaged that these hubs will provide enhanced out of hospital care from GPs and other community providers but the current facilities do no allow this.
An application was made to Hounslow Council for Community Infrastructure Levy funding for the project. Under this scheme money is paid by developers as a condition of receiving planning permission. The application was turned down as it was decided that the funds would not be needed until 2019/20. It was determined that £100,000 would be earmarked for that year with £400,000 set aside for the following year.
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April 8, 2020
