Health Minister, Andrew Stephenson MP, visited Ludlow Community Hospital with local MP, Philip Dunne, to discuss improving community health in the town and surrounding area. 

The Minister visited the former proposed new hospital site, owned by Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust (ShropComm) on the Ludlow Eco Park with Mr Dunne to bring the potential of this site to the Minister’s attention, to help meet the future healthcare needs of Ludlow and the surrounding area. 

Mr Dunne and the Minister then visited Ludlow Community Hospital for a roundtable with leaders of ShropComm, hospital clinicians, managers and representatives of the League of Friends. 

The Minister was given a tour of the Community Hospital visiting Dinham Ward and the dialysis ward as well as the Minor Injuries Unit and the physio outpatient clinic. Mr Stephenson has Ministerial responsibility for hospitals and workforce, amongst other things, and is very familiar with the value of community hospitals in rural market towns, having successfully helped the rebuilding of Clitheroe Community Hospital in his Lancashire constituency. 

Mr Dunne said: 

“I was delighted to welcome Minister Andrew Stephenson, who has been Minister of State for Health since last November, and is a noted champion of the value of community hospitals. 

“We had an useful discussion on the importance of healthcare services in the community, including the opportunity to expand services to patients in the Ludlow area, including more diagnostics to help treat patients locally. I shall be impressing on the NHS ICB to develop its plans for Ludlow, based on its recent needs assessment work.”

Photos: Philip Dunne MP and Minister Andrew Stephenson at Ludlow Community Hospital

From L to R: Jennifer Gill, (League of Friends), Michael Evans (LoF), Minister Andrew Stephenson MP, Kerri Swinbourne (site manager Ludlow), Philip Dunne MP, Jill Barker (Non Executive Director, ShropCom), Vickie Clayton (ShropCom Quality Lead), Amanda Houghton (Ward Manager Bishop’s Castle and Interim at Ludlow), Claire Horsfield (ShropCom Director of Operations) and Dr Caron Morton.