In a very short sighted report the Strategic Health Authority Board has concluded that at least half the Moorgreen hospital site is surplus to requirements and even worst still in the long term the remaining older persons mental health services could be removed and the entire site shut to health care provision.
Speaking on this issue local West End councillor David Goodall said :-
“As a community we need more good local health care provision and not less. The current thinking appears to be to centralise all services in the centre of Southampton and is driven more by cost factors than actually providing the health service required.”
“There is clearly a need for large regional specialist centres like Southampton General, but not all health services need to be provided in this manner. There is still the need to provide local and district based health services. There should be balance between the two.”
The health plan for the area termed “Greater Southampton” was first published in March 2006 and subsequently at the end of June approved by the Strategic Health Authority Board says to relation to the Moorgreen Hospital site:-
However at the last Full council at Eastleigh Borough Council this decision was condemned at short-slighted nonsense by speakers from all sides of the political spectrum and the following motion was passed. :-
The important part for any developers to note is only health services should be provided on this site.