The working group established to review proposed changes to community hospital services has now submitted its recommendations to NHS Mid and South Essex (27 March 2025).
Led by James Halden, the group was formed in October 2024 after decision-making was paused due to significant community feedback on the original proposals. The review focused particularly on service provision at St Peter’s Hospital in Maldon and other community hospitals including the Cumberlege Intermediate Care Centre in south east Essex and Brentwood Community Hospital.
To ensure transparency and move collaborative efforts forward, the working group’s recommendations will be carefully integrated into a comprehensive Decision Making Business Case. The Board will then review and consider this business case during the summer months, with the aim of making a well-informed decision about the proposed recommendations.
Key recommendations
The working group has made several important recommendations:
St Peter’s Hospital, Maldon: Investment to keep the facility operational for approximately five years while capital funding is assembled for a purpose-built new facility, ideally on a portion of the current site. This new facility would house outpatient services and create vital new primary care space for local GP services.
Inpatient Care: Acknowledgment that the NHS cannot efficiently operate an inpatient unit in Maldon due to low utilisation (maximum of two stroke beds needed for Maldon residents at any given time).
Stroke Services: Implementation of ‘Option B’ featuring a “split bed” approach, ensuring Southend residents who require specialist stroke inpatient rehabilitation can remain local, reducing travel burden on visiting families.
Birthing Services: preserving the approximately 14,000 pre and post-natal appointments that currently take place at St Peter’s Hospital, Maldon each year while maintaining midwife led births at the William Julien Courtauld birthing centre at Braintree Community Hospital.
Next steps
The recommendations will be presented at the ICB Board meeting in May and incorporated into a Decision Making Business Case for consideration by the NHS Mid and South Essex ICB Board this summer.
View the final report of the community services working group
Content originally from Mid and South Essex ICB
SWF Health & Social Care Group 