Following the demolition of the original building, the main contractors Speller Metcalfe have started on-site to create a modern, purpose-built hospital for the community of Shipston and the surrounding villages.

Recognising the rich history of the original building, the Trust have secured as many historical artefacts as possible which will be incorporated into the new hospital. All of the brick work from the demolished building is also being used as materials for the new build. This demonstrates the Trust’s commitment to sustainability, which will be a key focus throughout this development.

Groundworks have now been completed to enable the building to start taking shape and over the coming months the local community will start to see the steel work going up, with the work expected to be completed next summer (2024).

The new site is going to provide enhanced clinical spaces for hospital and community services, bringing more specialties and clinics closer to the local communities in and around Shipston. All of the specialties that were previously run from the site will return and clinical and operational teams are continuing to identify other services. Returning services include: Heart Failure Nurses, Urology, Maternity, Health Visiting, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Audiology, ENT, Physiotherapy, Ophthalmology, Specialist Parkinson’s Disease Nurse. The development will also include the infrastructure to bring on-site mobile diagnostics and we are working with partners who run services such as the breast scanner to understand what their plans are.

Clinicians and operational teams continue to work together to identify other specialties that will run from the new site, and these will be shared as the project develops over the next year.

The Trust is also working closely with the Stour Health and Wellbeing Partnership to co-design the Health and Wellbeing Hub. This will be a community-led space that will offer a holistic range of activities to support the wellbeing of all age ranges within the local community. The out of hospital teams will also be part of this design work to understand how we incorporate the benefits from the day hospital into this space. To support the development of the Health and Wellbeing Hub, Stratford District Council have awarded £900,000 of community infrastructure levy funding to the project.

Dr Charles Ashton, Chief Medical Officer at South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust, said: “It is fantastic to see work starting on site to develop a facility that will offer so many clinical services – making them more accessible for local people. There have been several factors that have resulted in changes to the design, plans and timescales, but despite those external influences the Trust has remained committed to investing in healthcare for Shipston and the local villages.

“As part of our Trust strategy, we know that keeping people well in their community for as long as possible supports better long-term outcomes for patients. Therefore, the services provided at the new Ellen Badger Hospital will help us to reduce unnecessary hospital admissions and help people to live longer lives, with fewer years of ill health.”

Bob Armstrong, Chair of the Stour Health and Wellbeing Partnership’s Trustee Board, said: “We have been working with the South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust for some time on the design of the Health and Wellbeing Hub in the new Ellen Badger Hospital. Over the last twelve months we have run a number of activities in Shipston and the surrounding villages. These activities have given us a valuable insight into the potential health and wellbeing benefits for the Stour community from this type of facility.”

Mark Hudgeon, regional director at Speller Metcalfe, said: “Having delivered a number of community hospitals on behalf of the NHS, we understand the importance of local residents being able to access these services – particularly those who reside in more rural areas. Speller Metcalfe is absolutely delighted to be a part of this scheme and we are looking forward to supporting the local community and the Trust to make it a reality.”

Statement from Gerry Kelly (Town Mayor) on behalf of the Shipston Town Council regarding the Ellen Badger Hospital
“Shipston Town Council are responding to the disappointing outcome of the Ellen Badger bed review. Shipston Town Council have demanded the publishing of the bed review and a public consultation. We are awaiting a response from South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust.”