Campaigners hit out at sale of historic hospital
Wishes of city ‘ignored’ by health bosses
A SHOCK announcement that a hospital site in York which dates back to 1777 is to be sold has been condemned amid accusations that the wishes of the city are being ignored.
The Bootham Park psychiatric hospital was closed in 2015 after the Care Quality Commission deemed it was no longer fit for purpose, with plans passed for a new 60-bed hospital set to open on Haxby Road in 2020.
Campaigns were launched last year to secure a future for the publicly-owned estate, with 8,000 people backing a petition to maintain it for public benefit.
Now, despite a consultation from council and health executives following formal requests to pause any decision, the Department of Health and Social Care has confirmed it is to be sold.
In a joint statement, council and health executives have said they are “disappointed” with the decision, vowing that the fight does not end here. York Central MP Rachael Maskell has accused the Government of “selling off York bit by bit”. It was “unforgivable” that the aspirations of 8,000 people had been ignored, she said, revealing she held 44 meetings to try and secure the site.
“My greatest concern is that as a growing city and an ageing city, and an acute hospital too small to meet current need, and not enough facilities to meet future need, that the health needs of our city have been ignored,” she said, vowing to do “everything in her power” to fight for the city.
There has been much concern over the future of the site since the hospital’s closure.
Discussions have been held over options for its development, from creating playing fields to a primary care centre, affordable housing for staff at York hospital or a residential care home.
York Council and local NHS partners had asked ministers to pause the sale while they worked to produce an alternative plan.
Surveys and consultation events began late last year, with 2,000 responses received to date.
In a joint statement, Mary Weastell, chief executive of York Council, Phil Mettam, accountable officer at Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group and Mike Proctor, chief executive of York Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We have worked hard together to develop an alternative plan to make the site deliver for York, so we are very disappointed with this outcome.
“Our efforts certainly don’t end here. We will continue working together to help NHS Property Services work with any bidders to understand the importance of the site and the opportunities it could offer the people of York.”
They added that they still have many opportunities to represent the public’s many comments and ideas for Bootham Park.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said the site was confirmed as surplus by the CCG in 2017 and its sale removes the cost of securing and maintaining the site, currently being met by the local NHS.
My greatest concern is that the health needs of our city have been ignored Rachael Maskell, MP for
York Central