Fareham MP wants investment in community hospital

She wants to see greater service provision at Fareham Community Hospital to help ease the pressure on GPs and the emergency department at Queen Alexandra Hospital in Cosham, Portsmouth.

During the meeting with Theresa May, the Fareham MP said more drop-in 
facilities were needed in the town.

She said: ‘I know many people have been concerned with the issues at QA Hospital and GP appointment waiting times.

‘So I raised these issues and how we can tackle them with the prime minister directly.

‘We have seen QA face considerable challenges, particularly in its A&E department, and GPs in the area have been under pressure to see all their patients within a reasonable waiting time.

‘I spoke with the prime minister about how expansion and investment in Fareham Community Hospital so it has greater service provision could ease some of these pressures – by reducing patient flow to QA.

‘Investment in Fareham Community Hospital so it has more walk-in services providing routine treatment and consultations with nurse practitioners, for example, would reduce pressure on GPs and waiting times.’

As previously reported in The News, leader of Fareham Borough Council Sean Woodward is keen to see the hospital used for more services.

He said: ‘In Fareham we have seen a lot of hospitals closing.

‘Fareham Community Hospital is probably the most under-used, under-utilised health facility in the south.

‘Half the hospital isn’t used and there is space about the same size of the site right next to it which I want to see used for expansion.

‘I want to see it expanded with a minor-injury treatment centre, beds for maternity and beds for elderly care.

‘It will be very useful to help ease demand on QA Hospital.

‘A&E is supposed to be for absolutely life-threatening injuries. If people just used it for that, then the emergency department would be able to cope.’