Residents invited to have their say on proposals to improve Hinckley and Bosworth health services

The Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Integrated Care Board (LLR ICB) has developed proposals for the Hinckley and District Hospital site which would increase the range of services available for the local community.

The LLR ICB has received national government funding of approximately £14.5 million to build a new Community Diagnostic Centre on the Hinckley and District Hospital (Mount Road) site. This would provide a one-stop-shop for health checks, scans and tests, allowing people who have an illness or other problem, to be diagnosed closer to home without the need to travel to a large hospital further away. It will also provide two rooms for carrying out  endoscopy examinations, replacing the existing single endoscopy room, which is old and requires updating.

Depending on the successful outcome of a business case, a further £7.35 million would be allocated by NHS England for a Day Case Unit, providing planned surgical procedures in hospital for patients who would then be able to return home on the same day. 

The Day Case Unit would continue to offer the services that are currently available at Hinckley and District Hospital together with additional procedures. Services provided would include general surgery, gynaecology, ophthalmology, orthopaedic surgery, pain management, plastic surgery, podiatric surgery, urology and vascular surgery.

The proposals also include moving the physiotherapy facilities currently provided from a portacabin on the Mount Road site into the Hinckley Hub on Rugby Road and carrying out improvements to the interior of Hinckley Health Centre.

Helen Mather, associate director of Elective Care, Cancer and Diagnostics at the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Integrated Care Board, said:

It has been our ambition for some time to make improvements to the community health services in Hinckley and to provide a Day Case Unit. It has also long been recognised that conditions at the hospital, which was built in 1899, are difficult for both patients and staff, with a need for more modern facilities. 

Additionally, with the recent government investment in new Community Diagnostic Centres, we now have a fantastic opportunity to provide more services closer to patients’ homes, in modern, fit for purpose buildings that meet the needs of a growing and ageing population.

The ICB is considering a number of options for how the Day Case Unit is developed. These include building the new standalone unit, making changes to part of the existing hospital to accommodate the unit, or making the unit part of the new Community Diagnostic Centre.

Helen Mather added

It is really important that people have the opportunity to look at our proposals, ask questions and tell us their views and I really encourage people who use or may use services in Hinckley to get involved. We will be holding public events, both face-to-face and online, and there is a questionnaire that people can complete. We look forward to hearing people’s views on this exciting development.

People have until 8 March 2023 to share their views, and full details are available online at www.HaveYourSayHinckley.co.uk. Alternatively, people can:

• Come along to a public event or workshop - full details available at https://leicesterleicestershireandrutland.icb.nhs.uk/be-involved
• Complete a questionnaire online by emailing llricb-llr.beinvolved@nhs.net
• Email your views to llricb-llr.beinvolved@nhs.net
• Call 0116 295 7572 to request a questionnaire, or write to: Engagement, NHS Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Integrated Care Board, Room G30, Pen Lloyd Building, County Hall, Glenfield, Leicester, LE3 8TB