Page 5 - RNT-C10

The HISTORY of REDDITCH New Town

The essential caring agencies of the Citizens' Advice Bureau, the Redditch Council for
Voluntary Service and the Counselling Centre were now permanently re-housed in the
Ecumenical Centre in the Town Centre and the demand for their services increased.

Finally there was progress in the long awaited Bromsgrove/Redditch District General
Hospital following a sod-cutting ceremony performed by Mr. A. E. V. Meredith, Chairman
of the Hereford and Worcester Area Health Authority, on 29th May, 1981. The town still
lacked the support of a Casualty Accident Service during the early evening peak period
and over the weekends. The Corporation discussed the matter with both the Regional
and Area Health Authorities in an attempt to resolve the situation.
Plans were advanced to provide a
permanent General Medical
Practitioner facility at Church Hill,
the Corporation's largest housing
estate, but, in the meantime,
patients were having to suffer the
inadequacies of the temporary
health centre buildings. During the
year the much needed Psychiatric
Day Care Unit situated at
Smallwood Health Centre was
opened.

1983 saw construction work on the
infrastructure for the long-awaited
District General Hospital at
Woodrow, beginning with a planned
completion date in 1986.
The provision of adequate casualty
facilities to serve Redditch until the
District General Hospital was
completed had still to be resolved,
despite persistent pressure by the
Local Authorities and the
Corporation to draw the attention of
the bodies concerned to the
seriousness of the problem.
The completion during 1983 of
permanent General Medical
Practitioner facilities at Church Hill eased the problem of limited accommodation for
patients, but there was still uncertainty surrounding the provision of permanent clinic
facilities to serve the local community.
A temporary General Medical Practitioner Service had been provided in the western areas
of the town following pressure from local residents and it was hoped that the Local Health
Authority would provide permanent health centre facilities in this area in 1985.
The building of the new District General Hospital progressed well and was ahead of
schedule at the end of the 1984. Despite the persistent pressure applied by the
Corporation and Redditch Borough Council, it had still not been possible to achieve the
setting up of an adequate casualty service for the town.

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