Patients respond to plans to move operations out of Suffolk

The NHS has been consulting on proposals to relocate 55% of operations from the Bury St Edmunds hospital to the new Essex and Suffolk Elective Orthopaedic Centre. 

An independent report on the engagement will be created, before a final discussion and decision will be made at the NHS Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board on July 30.

The state-of-the-art facility is expected to open this summer (Image: Newsquest)

The £64million state-of-the-art facility at Colchester Hospital has been built purely for surgery, with patients going to their closest hospital before and after their operations.

It is hoped there will be fewer cancelled operations and shorter waiting times as a result.

More than 2,000 responses were received during the consultation, which saw public exhibitions and virtual events held across west Suffolk before finishing on June 30.

Simon Morgan, the ICB’s associate director of communications, said: “We are very grateful to everyone who has taken the time to give us their views.

“The ICB will now consider the feedback received.”

Approximately 1,500 operations will be moved to the new centre, which is expected to open this summer.

There are three wards and eight operating theatres on the site.

Nicola Cottington, chief operating officer at West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, added: “The high level of response from the public about these proposals to move some of our planned orthopaedic operations from West Suffolk Hospital to a new, dedicated centre in Colchester shows how much people care about changes to their NHS services.

“Colleagues at Healthwatch Suffolk, the ICB and the Trust are now working hard to go through the data gathered and the main themes raised will be shared with the public in due course.

“A huge thank you to every person who gave time to provide their opinions.”