New £19m wards to be built at Norwich Community Hospital

Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust has been awarded £19.3m in funding to add a new 48-bed extension to Norwich Community Hospital.

Once built, it is hoped the new facility at the Bowthorpe Road site will help ease mounting pressure on the region's acute hospitals and reduce bed-blocking.

The new wards are set to provide a new reablement unit for up to 48 patients at a time, allowing people to be discharged quicker from main hospitals.

It is part of a £250m national drive to increase the number of beds available from the Department of Health and Social Care - almost £35m of which will be spent in the East of the country. 

Stephen Collman, CEO of the Norfolk Community Health and Care Trust (Image: NCH&C)

Stephen Collman, chief executive of NCH&C, said: "We are delighted to announce this funding and excited to progress with the build of this new therapy-led reablement unit at Norwich Community Hospital.

"It will play a key role in the commitment to delivering patient-centred care in Norfolk and Waveney.

"Reablement is short-term supportive care, usually provided after a stay in hospital.

"The new facility will help facilitate a seamless transition for patients from hospitals back into the community and reduce the risk of readmissions."

It comes following Norfolk County Council's closure of similar facilities in Benjamin Court in Cromer and Grays Fair Court in Costessey.

Patricia Hewitt, chairman of NHS Norfolk and Waveney (Image: NNUH)

Patricia Hewitt, chairman of NHS Norfolk and Waveney said: "I am delighted our system will receive this important investment.

"We know that prolonged hospital stays, when not medically necessary, create poorer health outcomes, especially for those who are elderly or frail.

"That is why it is important we support people to continue their recovery out of hospital.

"This investment will benefit many parts of our health and care system."