Ambitions to create a purpose-designed Health and Wellbeing Centre in Dartmouth
move a step closer today, with the submission of a planning application to Dartmouth Town Council. Plans for the reconfiguration of Riverview were previously submitted to the local council for assessment and a site visit took place with planners on 24th July.
Informal feedback from this visit was positive. The health community is hoping to have a decision on the proposals within six to eight weeks. If planning permission is granted, the next step is to secure a partner to deliver the care home provision.
The new centre includes plans for a 36-bedded care home, GP practice, pharmacy,
retail area (possibly a coffee shop) co-located with Dartmouth Caring, Trust outpatient clinic rooms and a base for the local Health and Wellbeing team. The care home would have its own entrance, lift, stairs and garden access, in line with Care Quality Commission and Devon County Council requirements. The ground floor of the care home would accommodate the kitchens and activities/visitors space with access to the garden. Its en-suite bedrooms would be located on floors one to three, with dining room, lounge area and assisted bathrooms on each floor.
The existing accommodation will require re-configuring to house the new services. A
tendering process has already been undertaken to appoint building contractors. This has been concluded successfully and Coyde Construction will be ready to commence work once these permissions are secured and approvals granted by all the organisations involved. As part of the planning process the health community will be required to make a financial contribution to the cost of any public transport interchange improvements required to support the new development.
Whilst the planning and development process is underway, Dartmouth key stakeholders and partners are meeting monthly, to ensure everyone is working together to manage the project’s complexities. The success of the health community’s plans is contingent on
securing a care home partner to run the co-located 36 bedded Riverview care home.
In the meantime, the full range of community, outpatient and therapy services continue to be delivered in the town in Dartmouth Clinic. More people from Dartmouth are being supported at home by the Trust’s enhanced intermediate care team. Bed-based care for
Dartmouth residents is available through the six intermediate care beds funded by the Trust in Riverview. Community Hospital care is available at Totnes Community Hospital.
Chief Operating Officer, Liz Davenport, commented: “We believe that the proposed
development at Riverview will provide an excellent one-stop shop approach to
healthcare for local people. With input from the voluntary sector, through Dartmouth Caring as well as our own community teams, GPs and pharmacy, we can really focus on the wellbeing of local residents. There is still some way to go in terms of both the planning process and contract negotiations, but if we are successful in securing a care home partner, we are hopeful that the new facility will be up and running in Riverview, by 1 April 2018”.
