Following our two public consultation events, we have split all questions into 3 groups; Technical, Transport and Medical Questions. The answers to these questions were provided by the Project Team, (including RDC and all consultants) and the Medical Team represented by members of Little Common Surgery/CCG/NHS.
Please note below all public questions related to this scheme and our answers:
Technical
East Sussex County Council are satisfied with the Transport Assessment. Options are being reviewed to increase the number of disabled bays.
The project will be funded by borrowing through the Public Works Loan Board. The revenue stream is from the rentals received from the NHS and from the occupiers of the workshops. The financial case is under regular review, especially in the current economic climate and will be subject to approval by the Council before any works can commence.
This is currently under review. A number will be defined in the planning documentation and necessarily allocated.
We’re currently reviewing the needs for mobility scooter chargers against the relevant British Standards and also to comply with the NHS’ provision for this service. This will be determined via RIBA Stage 4.
This was never envisaged as part of the Rosewood Park scheme and does not form part of the original outline permission for the site. It would have significant knock-on impact on parking, traffic movement, etc.
There is a traffic light controlled pedestrian crossing at the junction entering Brooklands Road from Barnhorn Road, as well as multiple pedestrian crossings along Barnhorn Road.
Yes, although EV points will be charged.
Modern workshops are in high demand locally and town centre shops aren’t suitable for the types of businesses that need workshop space.
The site is approximately 1km west of Little Common village centre and 4.4km (2.7 miles) from Bexhill town centre.
All are being kept.
The scheme remains subject to planning permission and there will be opportunity for anyone to comment formally on the planning application when it is submitted. The scheme will also be dependent on being financially viable, and in the current uncertain economic climate the Council is keeping this under regular review.
Transport
Phlorum Ltd has been appointed by RDC to assess the environmental impact of extra travel related to this project. Phlorum Ltd are currently preparing their report and findings on this case to the Project Team for their submission of a full planning application for this scheme, proposed to be submitted during the next few weeks and within RIBA Stage 3 of this project. It is anticipated that the answer to this question will be updated on this matter.
Additional bus services are not confirmed but there are on-going discussions with the service provider. An assessment has been made based on the existing provision on Barnhorn Road.
Previous site layouts included a mini roundabout within the car park, but this was dismissed by ESCC Highways as it would create queuing onto Brooklands Road. A mini-roundabout on Brooklands Road would require further land space and will be close to other accesses which would create issues.
An assessment has already been carried out and a traffic signal junction has been implemented to cater for the Rosewood Park development. An assessment has been made on the changes from the approved outline planning application and the revised scheme including the industrial units and there is no detrimental impact.
If a road closure is in place, access to the premises should still be maintained and this would be reviewed by the highway authority. The assumption has been made that the Emergency Vehicle access via Oakleigh Road would be opened to all vehicles in the unlikely eventuality of a full closure.
Bus stops to serve the Medical Centre and Light Industrial Units are within walking distance on Barnhorn Road.
As well as disabled parking bays, drop off spaces are provided for those using taxis. Local bus services accommodate for the disabled with accessible ramps and the route from the bus stop is adequate for those with disabilities.
This is not part of the proposals.
The majority of staff will park in the staff car park, but some may use the disabled, electric or cycle spaces in the main car park. There will be a Travel Plan in place to promote sustainable transport modes and car sharing. There is likely to be some flexibility in the use of spaces.
Medical
- The population of Bexhill is rising. Our patient population has risen by 40% in the last 10 years. We’ve increased the numbers of doctors, nurses and other clinicians as best we can and increased the numbers of consulting rooms too. But we’ve run out of space. And the current premises struggle to remain usable for what we currently offer.
- It remains our priority to provide high quality care to our patients and to improve health outcomes.
- We need space to be able to do this.
- Also, our current sites have very poor access for patients with mobility difficulties. The new site will be purpose built and fully accessible.
- We’re continually expanding our clinical team, with increasing numbers in our Nursing team, Doctors, and Paramedic Practitioners. We need to do this to keep up with the increasing population we serve as well as looking to expand the services we offer.
- The new centre will allow us to continue this expansion and we will offer a wide variety of locally commissioned services from our sites.
- We previously offered rooms for other external providers to use for hearing assessments, echo scans, physio, and mental health counseling, but these have had to be curtailed due to lack of space.
- There is a new ‘diagnostic centre’ being built in Beeching Road – we will be able to refer patients for more locally accessible scans and x-rays there when it is up and running.
- The new building will be designed to help promote self-care as there will be space to have group education, leaflets and patient information areas including a television with notices about self-care and long-term conditions.
- Additional staff will support patients with long term conditions and support the practice to tackle health inequalities.
- Planned group activities & health support work already in progress to address health inequalities.
- All of this will help reduce pressure on the hospital services, and allow you to receive more care locally, within Bexhill.
- We looked in detail at the space we needed within the building and will be using all the space provided for running clinical services, so no there won’t be a pharmacy on site
- There are also strict regulations relating to running a pharmacy, and as a practice we are unable to dispense medication to you.
- Pharmacies are critical to the community, and we want to continue supporting all the local pharmacies. A lot of pharmacies locally deliver prescriptions to housebound patients, and we send our prescriptions electronically now, and always encourage patients to allow some time between issuing and collecting their prescriptions.
- We do have a prescribing team, led by a clinical pharmacist on-site though. They are available to answer medication queries and our pharmacist undertakes structured medication reviews as well.
- Prescription requests will continue to be taken electronically via our dedicated email address, on our website, through the NHS app, and via paper repeat requests dropped in to our surgeries or via the post. Some of the pharmacies also allow you to request through them direct.
- No, this will be a new Doctors surgery
- There are 6 NHS dentists available within 2 miles that can be found using the Find a Dentist NHS page.
- We carry out some minor surgical procedures already, and plan to expand this to provide more. The new site will have rooms much better equipped for expansion of these services.
- Prescription requests will continue to be taken electronically via our dedicated email address, on our website, through the NHS app, and via paper repeat requests dropped in to our surgeries or via the post. Some of the pharmacies also allow you to request through them direct.
- There is a community diagnostics hub being built in Beeching Road which will be available for more local x-rays and scans. X-rays and scans all need specialist radiographers to take them, and radiologists to read and report them. This will be available through the diagnostics hub.
- We work with partners in Bexhill and provide clinics presently for the Dementia diagnostic service. With more space we will be able to expand this further so these and other specialist clinics will be more accessible to you within Bexhill.
- Old Town Surgery will not be closing. It will remain open and fully utilized long-term.
- You will be able to access normal nursing, phlebotomy and GP services from both sites though.
- The new site is purpose-built with rooms better suited to provision of certain services, so we do anticipate offering more from the new site than we can presently offer at either Little Common or Old Town.
- We remain open from 8am – 6:30pm Monday to Friday.
- We also offer evening and weekend appointments through our partnership with Bexhill Primary Care Network – these appointments are available by asking reception.
- They are provided from a variety of premises in Bexhill as well as remotely.