York is historically the home of good mental health care but for a number of years this has been lacking, especially since the closure of Bootham Park Hospital. The City of York and surrounding area needs quality health care and we are asking for that to be located in the centre of the City.

We, the community served by the Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust in the Vale of York CCG region strongly encourage them, along with NHS Property Services, to consider the existing Bootham Hospital and the former Doctors and Nurses Home site rather than Clifton and the Retreat for the following reasons:

It has a 250 year connection with providing mental health support to the area

It  is central to the City of York and transport connections for patients and family

It is near to York Teaching Hospital for supplementary treatment, training and support 

The site is owned by the NHS and has a footprint that could be redeveloped maintaining the green areas and historic frontage

The existing site would be a more cost-effective use of public funds

We would also ask that the number of beds is not constrained to the 24 stated.

We furthermore call on NHS England to commission a Mother and Baby Unit for the City of York and surrounding area to avoid mothers and their relatives having to travel long distances at a very vulnerable time.