FELIXSTOWE Community Hospital is hot favourite as the new name for the town's revamped General hospital.Concern has been voiced over plans to rebrand the hospital with a new name when a £1.
By Richard Cornwell
FELIXSTOWE Community Hospital is hot favourite as the new name for the town's revamped General hospital.
Concern has been voiced over plans to rebrand the hospital with a new name when a £1.76 million refurbishment is complete next year - especially at a time when the Suffolk Primary Care Trust is millions of pounds in debt.
PCT officials say the name has not yet been decided but it has been revealed Felixstowe Community Hospital is the most likely.
Doreen Rayner, a member of the patient involvement forum, said: “This is the name which we have been told the building is likely to have when it re-opens.
“I don't think it is too bad personally - I like the word community.
“I could understand people being very angry if the word Felixstowe was to be removed from its title.
“However, I still can't understand the need to change the name at all - everyone will still call it Felixstowe General.”
Hospital campaigners have condemned the proposed change as a waste of time and money and say it could cause confusion.
Extra costs will include new road signs and signs outside the hospital, new stationery and other internal items.
Martin Royal, Suffolk PCT's director of business development, said the new name was not yet decided.
He said: “We are working with the locality planning group, which includes representatives from the community, to find the right name for the new hospital - one that reflects its future as a modern state-of-the art community hospital.”
When the hospital opened in 1910 - built as a gift from Charles Croydon - it was known as the Cottage Hospital.
The improvements work at the property is progressing well and is on schedule.
Work includes creating a minor operations suite, new clinics, day room, putting in a lift and new reception.
Meanwhile, the General is housed in the Bartlet, which will close its doors for the last time when the refurbishment is complete and all the services move back to Constable Road.
What do you think of renaming Felixstowe General Hospital - good idea or waste of money? What new name should it have? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail EveningStarLetters@eveningstar.co.uk
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