A COUNCIL has confirmed that the former Lambert Hospital, which was temporarily closed in 2015 and never reopened, will now be legally gifted for use as an end-of-life care facility.

On Tuesday, September 17, Hambleton District Council confirmed that the former 14-bed hospital in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, would be formally gifted to Herriot Hospice Homecare, later in the year.

The disused hospital, previously operated by the South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, was purchased by the council for around £350,000 in 2018.

Owing to a covenant placed on the building's future use by NHS Property Services - a division of the Department for Health which looks after disused NHS sites - its future uses were restricted.

However earlier this year, a consultation held by Hambleton District Council's leader, councillor Mark Robson at Thirsk & Sowerby Town Hall revealed an overwhelming number of residents appeared to support plans for its conversion into a hospice.

The gifting's announcement was first made on Wednesday, September 4, with Cllr Robson hailing the hospice as an "invaluable" service for the district, while it was said the decision would need to be ratified (validated) by Hambleton councillors at the Full Council meeting on Tuesday.