Medics boost for Clitheroe Hospital

In-patients at Clitheroe’s new £7.8m. Community Hospital can now benefit from increased medical support thanks to an enhanced partnership between East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust and Pendleside Medical Practice.

The state-of-the-art hospital, which opened earlier this year, is the only NHS community hospital in the Ribble Valley. It is run by East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust and is a purpose built 32-bed unit providing in-patient and out-patient services.

From last week, a single practice – Pendleside Medical Practice – will take responsibility for providing GP support to all patients at Clitheroe Community Hospital.

In addition, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust has boosted medical support for GPs with the provision of additional time from Consultant for Elderly Medicine, Dr Syed Shah.

“The new arrangements mean more GP hours and more specialist medical support, which is necessary with an elderly population of patients who have more complex medical problems,” said Dr Alan Crowther, ELHT Divisional Clinical Director and former Ribble Valley GP.

For the past 30 years, GP support for Clitheroe Community Hospital has been provided by a group of four GP practices - Castle Medical Group, Pendleside Medical Practice, Sabden and Whalley Medical Practice and Slaidburn Country Practice.

“On behalf of thousands of patients, I want to thank these four practices for the medical expertise and support they have given to Clitheroe Community Hospital over the past three decades,” added Dr Crowther.