A NEW hospital should be viewed as a medical facility for the people of Malvern, not a museum to the past says a hospital campaigner.

Pat Merrick, chairman of the League of Friends of Malvern Community Hospital, has hit back at claims the £19 million hospital in Seaford Court will be too ‘Mediterranean’ for Malvern.

Malvern Civic Society chairman Roger Sutton had several criticisms of the design, including the Mediterranean feel, the modern design and he even said that it looked more like a bungalow than a hospital.

He also said the design and building contracts should have been awarded to local firms and that car parking should be out of sight behind the hospital rather than in front of it.

But Pat Merrick, chairman of the League of Friends of Malvern Hospital, said underground car parking or multi-storey car parking was too expensive, especially in the current economic climate.

Mrs Merrick said: “One of the criticisms was that it has a Mediterranean feel. If Mediterranean feels light and airy, then good. This is a hospital not a museum. I don’t have the fears the civic society have. This hospital has really come up with the goods.”

A Malvern Hospital User Group (HUG) is now being set up to get public and patient input into the final designs.

Worcestershire Primary Care Trust, which is managing the project, is now gauging public interest in the group, which health chiefs say would continue the extensive consultation work which ended in May.

More details about the group will be released once the PCT has received more feedback from the public.

Brian Hanford, Malvern Hospital project director, also defended the hospital.

He said: “We are both surprised and disappointed that the Malvern Hills Civic Society has criticised the plans for Malvern Hospital. Since releasing them we have received nothing but a positive, enthusiastic response from patients, hospital staff and the public in Malvern.

“We spent a great deal of time consulting with the local population about the plans. More than 200 people came to our public meetings and we received 150 feedback forms, the views on which were taken into account when revising the initial plans.”

The planning application for Malvern Hospital was handed in at the end of July.

Following approval of the plans, it is hoped that work to build the hospital will begin in March 2009. It is expected to open in September 2010.

Readers can register their interest in Malvern HUG by ringing Hayley Caffull on 01684 612635 or by e-mailing Hayley.caffull@worcspct.nhs.uk.