Brentwood Community Hospital could be bulldozed to the ground to make way for a sparkling new state-of-the-art medical facility.

The building, which has stood on the Crescent Drive site since 1934, is too old to accommodate the latest advances in medical science, forcing Health chiefs to choose between a major - and costly - overhaul, or the construction of an entirely new building.

Brentwood Primary Care Group, BHB Community Healthcare Trust and Brentwood Council have already started the first tentative negotiations over plans for a new building, which could be in place as soon as 2004.

Matthew Smith, the PCG's head of health improvement, explained: "The intention is to develop the site as a focal point for Brentwood people and to try to get as many services there as possible.

"The current building doesn't comply with the requirements for providing modern medical services. What we really want is a new facility in an accessible location which is fit for providing those modern medical services."

Brian Keane, deputy town clerk at Brentwood Council, confirmed discussions were underway: "We have spoken tentatively with the PCG about the best way to provide a community hospital that Brentwood will actually use and want.

"Looking at the existing building, we are not sure that reusing it is the best way to move forward and it may be better to rebuild it in line with modern medical demands."

Although a decision on which option to adopt has yet to be made, the partners are now planning to draw up an outline business plan for the idea.

The changes would allow the hospital to add more outpatient clinics, therapies and intermediate beds to its already developing services.

The PCG's newly published locality action plan identifies refurbishing the hospital - the construction of which was partly paid for by local people - as a vital part of improving access for Brentwood people to a wider range of services.

Based on soundings of the views of local people and organisations, the programme also includes: reducing outpatient waiting times; improving GP surgeries; improving transport; early diagnosis of heart disease; and auditing clinical practice.

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