Community care fit for the 21st century

Community care professionals who serve Bognor Regis patients have been brought together for the first time.
By The Newsroom
Published 24th Jul 2009, 12:01 BST
Updated 7th Jun 2018, 17:46 BST

New offices for the 40-plus individuals have been opened at the town's war memorial hospital.

The completely-refurbished Colley House is the base for the 'virtual ward' work of the community nursing team caring for people nearer to their homes as well as the community rehabilitation team. Falls prevention workers will also be based there.

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The community nurses see some 33,000 patients a year. Bringing the members of staff together, rather than being housed separately around the site, will allow greater links between them to boost the care they can offer.

West Sussex NHS Primary Care Trust chief executive John Wilderspin performed the brief ceremony to open Colley House at the Shripney Road hospital.

The ground floor of the building on the south of the site had become used as a dumping ground for unwanted equipment. The first floor comprised old-fashioned offices.

A few months of work later '“ along with 50,000 '“ and a building fit for the 21st century has emerged.

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It has been named after the hospital's first matron, Miss EM Colley, who ruled its wards for 30 years from 1918.

Mr Wilderspin said: "I am sure Miss Colley, who spent a large amount of time providing care at the hospital, would be very proud to see her name given to a building which will be used to provide care for many years to come.

"It's really nice to have Colley House open. It will allow members of staff to work together better."

Kate Woods, head of the hospital's physiotherapy team, said: "It will be good for the staff to link up with each other. We are often seeing the same patients for slightly different reasons."

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Sarah Grant, the trust's community services manager, said: "We know people like to receive treatment near their home whenever possible rather than in a hospital.

"So the trust is keen to support community teams to provide the best possible care."

Community nurses moved into Colley House on Saturday.

The rehabilitation team follows today.

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