Inpatient unit at Southlands Hospital to be sold off

Published: 19-Nov-2013

Trust reveals plan to put hospital building on the open market


The drive to dispose of disused and surplus NHS estate continues with news that Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is to sell off part of Southlands Hospital.

The board has revealed there is ‘no realistic prospect’ of the Harness Block, a former inpatient facility, being used for NHS health services.

The site in Upper Shoreham Road will now be put onto the open market, with the trust revealing it has already been approached by a private health operator interested in taking over the building.

Spencer Prosser, the trust’s director of finance, said: “We have gone to great lengths to find out whether the Harness Block could be used by another public body to deliver health or social care. Regrettably, it has become clear that there is no realistic prospect of that objective being achieved.

“Our focus has been to find someone who could use the building to benefit NHS patients in the area, but if that objective cannot be achieved then we have a duty to the community to complete the sale of the land and to use all of the proceeds to upgrade and improve Southlands Hospital.”

All proceeds from the sale will be invested in improving services and facilities for patients.

Prosser said: “We have always said that the proceeds of a sale would be ring-fenced and be used to invest in the majority of the Southlands site that remains as part of our trust. That commitment remains.”

You may also like