The large site on Queen Victoria Road will be repurposed into a ‘neighbourhood hub’, with existing buildings that can be adapted to provide modern clinical space, shared facilities for teams to work together, education and training opportunities, and other community-focused services. The location also includes around 180 parking spaces, supporting easier access for patients, visitors and staff.
Developing the site will also provide an opportunity to bring some services out of the Wycombe Hospital site, supporting more visible and accessible neighbourhood care.
The Trust will not take occupation of the site for around a year, while Buckinghamshire Council continues to use the buildings. This time will be used to develop detailed proposals with NHS partners, GPs, the voluntary sector, local stakeholders, the public, and staff.
Raghuv Bhasin, chief executive of Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, said: “Neighbourhood health is central to our strategy and to how we improve health services for people in Wycombe. We are delighted to purchase the Queen Victoria Road site, which gives us the space and flexibility to work with our partners to bring services together, create genuine neighbourhood health hubs, and make it easier for local people to access care closer to home. The site offers huge potential, not just for clinical services but also for collaboration, education and innovation. We are committed to working with GPs, community partners and local people to decide how it can best be used to meet Wycombe’s needs.”
Buckinghamshire Council Leader, Steven Broadbent, commented: “This is a hugely positive outcome for High Wycombe. Accepting Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust’s offer brings lasting community benefit, protects the building’s historic frontage and supports our wider regeneration and housing ambitions. Importantly, it ensures value for money for residents and secures the right long-term use for a prominent town-centre site. This decision strengthens our vision for a vibrant, welcoming and well-connected High Wycombe.”
Dr Amanda Bartlett, GP lead for prevention and health inequalities lead with Buckinghamshire GP Provider Alliance added: “The purchase of the site by Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust creates a unique opportunity for local residents, who will be able to access a wide range of community services in one convenient location. Bringing local health partners, including GP practices, together under one roof will support more collaborative and co-ordinated ways of working, ultimately improving patients’ experience and the quality of the care they receive. By enabling teams from different organisations to work more closely, this development will help accelerate the shift from treatment to prevention – supporting our community to stay healthier for longer.”