Mayor of Thurrock Opens Gloucester Ward

Gloucester Ward, an inpatient facility for older adults with a mental health illness was officially opened by Mayor of Thurrock Cllr Barbara Rice on 26 November 2018.

The ward which is run by Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT) has been completely refurbished and relocated from Basildon Mental Health Unit to Thurrock Community Hospital, to make way for an additional ward to accommodate more adult inpatients.

Mayor of Thurrock, Cllr Barbara Rice said:

“Relocating Gloucester Ward to Thurrock Community Hospital has gone really well and it’s been a fantastic transformation. It’s great that the trust has been working in such close partnership with the council on this project and in so many other areas of its work, and I hope that continues as we strive for the best possible outcomes for our patients. Having worked on the wards as a nurse myself, I know how tough things can be and I would like to thank all of the staff for their hard work in making this move happen.”

Malcolm McCann Executive Director of Community Services and Partnerships at EPUT said:

“Part of our preparation for winter this year is making sure that we have enough beds to look after more patients that the winter months might bring. Relocating Gloucester Ward to Thurrock Community Hospital has enabled us to create an extra ward at Basildon Mental Health Unit so that we are well prepared ahead of winter. Thank you to all our staff especially our nurses, ward managers and estates team for doing such a brilliant job at relocating Gloucester Ward in such a short space of time.”

The relocation of Gloucester Ward is in response to increasing demands for more adult inpatient beds for patients suffering from a mental health illness across south Essex.

Jane Foster-Taylor, Chief Nurse, NHS Thurrock Clinical Commissioning Group said:

“We are delighted that a new refurbished mental health facility, to support people who need to have an inpatient stay, is now available to those living in Thurrock. This supports our overall strategy to bring care closer to home. As the lead commissioner for Mental Health across Mid and South Essex, we are working closely with our providers to ensure that services meet the needs of people at all levels of mental health need, from crisis to low level anxiety. This new ward will go a long way to helping to improve care for the people of Thurrock.”

The new Gloucester Ward is now located at what was previously known as Ashingdon Ward at Thurrock Community Hospital.

Cllr Barbara Rice pictured with Malcolm McCann and Trust chair Sheila Salmon.