SUPPORTERS of Minehead Community Hospital say they will do “everything” they can to prevent the permanent closure of beds.

At a meeting last Wednesday, the Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), decided to review plans on how community hospitals – including those at Minehead and Williton – are run.

At present a number of beds at Minehead Hospital are temporarily closed. The GP-led organisation is responsible for the planning and funding of local health services.

Over the next five years, the plans aim to develop a new service model for the county’s 13 community hospitals.

They say that no community hospitals would close but a total of 40 beds across the county’s community hospitals could go.

They are proposing one of three models for each of the hospitals:

l “Step-up” community hospital beds – will provide 24 hour care for those who do not require serious medical treatment and could also see enhanced inpatient and outpatient services.

l “Step-down” community hospitals beds – will provide care for people who have been discharged from a district hospital such as Musgrove Hospital in Taunton, but who still need hospital based rehabilitation and nursing care. These hospitals would keep the services they already have but would not get enhanced services.

l “Health and Wellbeing centres” – will still be community hospitals and will offer a wide range of clinics but will provide no inpatient beds. Currently, 57 beds across the 13 hospitals are temporarily closed due to recruitment problems and the CCG want them to remain temporarily closed.

The CCG is also proposing specialist services for stroke and neuro-rehabilitation could be moved to just one hospital.

Hotelier Bryan Leaker, who campaigned to re-open Minehead’s minor injuries unit at night earlier this year, has promised to do “everything” to stop the closure of beds. 

He said: “It is a good thing Minehead Hospital could be used more because there are a lot of elderly people living here who struggle to make it to the nearest district hospital [Musgrove] 26 miles away on public transport.

“But we were under the impression the bed closures were temporary.

“If they are to become permanent closures, I will do everything I can to stop them.

“Hundreds of people showed their support last time [when the MIU was closed at night] and I don’t think they wish to see that again.

“I don’t particularly want to go through that again but I will if I have to.

“We will not become the poor relation in Somerset.”

Dr Matthew Dolman, chairman of Somerset CCG, said: “The model of community health care we are proposing to be developed over the next five years needs to support the growing numbers of elderly and longterm ill so they can live well in their own home for as long as possible – which is what patients say they want.

“Such a model of service must be sustainable and depends upon close collaboration between family doctors, district and community hospitals, social care services and the voluntary sector.

“While a significant percentage of patients currently using community hospital beds in Somerset could be better supported in their own home or community, the right services need to be in place for this to happen.

“That is why this community service review is clear that a general strengthening of community based health care needs to be implemented in parallel with any new model of community hospitals.”

The proposals would not come into effect for at least another four years and plans for each hospital are not yet known.