ESSENTIAL repairs to Maldon’s Victorian hospital have been completed.

In May it was revealed inpatient services at the town’s ageing St Peter’s Hospital would be relocated to Broomfield Hospital over the summer while repairs were carried out.

The maintenance works took place on the community ward, which houses a stroke unit and intermediate care beds.

Work saw floors repaired and walls repainted.

Mid Essex Hospitals NHS Trust, which owns St Peter’s Hospital; Provide, who run and staff services on the ward and Mid Essex Clinical Commissioning Group worked together to ensure care was not compromised.

The community ward reopened earlier this month after works were completed on schedule.

Jane Corser, Provide’s Executive Clinical and Operations Director said: “We have now transferred all patients back to St Peter’s Ward and are open as normal for new admissions.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank our patients and their relatives for their understanding during this period and also the ward staff for their hard work and support.”

Melanie Crass, Director of Primary Care and Resilience at Mid Essex CCG said: “We’re pleased the repairs at St Peter’s finished on time. Thanks to everyone in the local healthcare community, and to patients and their relatives, for their support while work was underway.”