MONTAGU Hospital has become the key centre for the rehabilitation of people recovering from serious illness or injury in Doncaster and the Dearne Valley following the transfer of the final few patients from Tickhill Road Hospital.
Services at Tickhill Road have been making preparations over the last few months for the move, which was agreed in February 2012 following a public consultation on plans to develop a new centre of excellence in rehabilitative care at Montagu.
Work to build the new centre, which will transform the way rehabilitation is provided with extensive therapy seven days a week, is due to start on site by the end of 2012. The new centre is expected to open by summer 2013.
In the meantime, rehabilitation care for people in Doncaster and the Dearne Valley is being centralised on existing wards at Montagu so that patients can benefit from access to a larger number of medical, nursing and therapy staff.
The final 13 patients at Tickhill Road were safely transferred to Montagu Hospital on Thursday, August 30, as planned. The wards at Tickhill Road Hospital will remain available for use until the end of March 2013 if required due to winter pressures.
Dr Rod Kersh, Clinical Director for the Care of Older People and Rehabilitation at Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The move to Montagu has been carefully planned for several months to have the minimal impact possible on patients and their families.
“We recognise that Tickhill Road may have been closer to home for some of our patients and apologise for any inconvenience, but the move to Montagu is an important phase in the development of a truly world-class rehabilitation centre for people in Doncaster and Dearne Valley.”
A free shuttle bus, funded by the Fred and Ann Green Memorial Legacy, runs between Doncaster and Montagu Hospital from Monday to Friday and can be used by anyone visiting either site.
It takes around 30 minutes, departs from the Outpatients entrance at Doncaster at 7.45am and runs between the two sites all day before finishing at Montagu at about 6pm. There is also plenty of cheap onsite parking at Montagu Hospital.
Comments