THE writing was written large on the wall this week for both the Dilke and Lydney hospitals with the launch of a public consultation exercise on building a replacement.

The 12-week consultation got underway this week on a preferred option to build a new community hospital in the Forest of Dean by 2021/22, ‘fit for modern healthcare’ at a cost of £11 million.

If agreed, the new hospital, on a site yet to be identified, will replace Dilke Memorial Hospital and Lydney and District Hospitals.

Gloucestershire Care Services NHS Trust and NHS Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group believe this option would ensure high quality care in the future, meet the needs of local residents and improve working conditions for staff.

In a consultation booklet they describe why it is believed that ‘no change to facilities’ or effectively ‘replicating what we already have now’ will not deliver the care or service benefits that patients and staff deserve.

Chief executive of Gloucestershire Care Services NHS Trust, Katie Norton said: “We are proposing to invest in the Forest of Dean to support modern, high quality care and believe the preferred option of a new hospital would deliver real benefits to patients and our dedicated staff.”

Mary Thurston, secretary of the Friends of Lydney Hospital, said: “Despite the wonderful care provided in our existing hospitals we understand it is becoming increasingly difficult to staff, maintain and update two 100-year-old buildings."

Rob Young, chairman of the Friends of Dilke Hospital said: “We’ve been down this road before.

“Some years ago they spent around £40,000 on a consultants report which concluded that, because of the demographic and infrastructural features of the Forest, we needed two hospitals.

“However, if we do have to have just one hospital, then it really does need to be in Coleford to be readily accessible to residents in both Cinderford and Lydney.”

Albert Weager, chairman of the Forest Health Forum, said: “The Forest Health Forum very much wished to see a new community hospital coming to the Dean.

"I urge local residents to take every opportunity to engage with the forthcoming consultation process."

MP Mark Harper said: "I welcome the commitment to provide a new community hospital which will ensure we have a facility in the Forest of Dean which is fit for modern, efficient and high quality healthcare."