Bids open for hospital work (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Bids open for hospital work

THE three organisations that will be bidding to carry out the £6million redevelopment of Malmesbury Hospital have been announced.

The British Health Enterprise, Grosvenor House Group and Shaw Healthcare have all been selected to bid for the contract.

The groups met with the redevelopment project's board recently to discuss information needed for their tenders, which are expected back by the end of November.

North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust will sell the hospital site to the developers, which will in turn sell the completed building to the partners of Gable House practice, which will then lease accommodation back to the PCT for its services.

Project manager Peter Williams said: "Both the inpatient services and the maternity unit will transfer during the building work to Chippenham, but we are looking to try and keep as many services locally as possible."

He said X-ray services would also have to move to Chippenham during the period of work.

Construction is likely to last up to 18 months, with the opening pencilled in for late 2007 or early 2008.