Readers respond to major £17m plans for Bassetlaw Hospital ‘emergency village’ and children’s hub

Readers have shared their views as Bassetlaw Hospital unveils new plans for a multi-million pound ‘emergency village’ and children’s hub.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

The £17.6million plans by Bassetlaw Clinical Commissioning Group are to create an emergency village, including a mini children’s hospital, in a bid to transform emergency care and urgent children’s care in Worksop.

The emergency village would offer possibilities to extend current same day emergency care, offer easier access to rapid diagnostics and integrated working with primary and community teams and mental health.

Read More
Plan to prevent suicides across Nottinghamshire as rates in Bassetlaw are highes...
An artist impression of the new development at Bassetlaw Hospital, in Worksop.An artist impression of the new development at Bassetlaw Hospital, in Worksop.
An artist impression of the new development at Bassetlaw Hospital, in Worksop.

The current children’s ward at the hospital, which is a distance from the Emergency Department, has been closed to overnight admissions between 7pm and 8am since 2017 due to safety reasons related to staffing.

Under the new plans, 60 per cent of children requiring a short time in hospital would be able to stay at Bassetlaw Hospital instead of being transferred to Doncaster Royal Infirmary.

The plans have received more than 70 ‘likes’ across social media since being announced yesterday, and one reader commented he would like to provide comments on the consultation to “ensure that this gets built”.

However, some Worksop Guardian readers on Facebook are questioning whether it’s an appropriate use of money.

One reader commented: “Why not use the money to staff the current children's ward? Just seems [like] an absolute waste!”

Another said: “Try keeping what you have before making more [plans] to just be closed down in a year or so.”

Another questioned why only 60 per cent of patients would be able to stay at Bassetlaw hospital: “So would there still not be enough beds even after all that money spent?”

Some readers have wondered whether the plans are to “gloss over [mental health] services moving”, as one comment read.

One reader said: “All at the expense of the mental health unit which has been kicked out to Mansfield.”

The health scrutiny committee at Nottinghamshire County Council discussed the proposals during a meeting earlier this week and councillors agreed to a 12-week consultation period.

Councillors said they “all welcome” plans for an emergency village, and that it will be a “marvellous acquisition to the area”.