Following news that the PCT has agreed in principle to close the Community Hospital and provide the Stone House site to nursing home operator Coverage Care, Mr Dunne said today:
"I have been approached by many people in Bishop's Castle who are extremely concerned to ensure that NHS beds remain available to local people in their community. The strength of feeling was shown in the petition of almost 2,000 signatures which I presented to the House of Commons before the Easter recess. I held a surgery in Bishop's Castle last week and again questions were raised about whether the NHS will be able to commit to fund beds in Bishop's Castle for the long term.
Others in the town have accepted all too readily the reassurances offered that all will be alright.
There is a great deal of anxiety, understandably amongst staff and other medical professionals, as well amongst the general public, that the present financial crisis engulfing the NHS in Shropshire will lead to Bishop's Castle being left out in the cold. How can we be sure that the beds they say they will fund will continue to be funded? The precedents from the former Cottage Hospitals closed elsewhere in Shropshire are not encouraging.
I wrote last month to the Chief Executive of the PCT asking her to confirm she is empowered to sign a 10 year contract to fund NHS beds. Having spoken to local professionals and campaigners, they are clear of the local clinical need and for not less than 15 beds in Bishop's Castle. I am now calling on the PCT to commit to this number of NHS funded beds for the long term.
There is no doubt that there is a need for GP managed beds in the town, paid for by the NHS. Over the winter the Acute Trust itself pleaded for the hospital to re-open half a dozen beds to take rehabilitation patients from Royal Shrewsbury Hospital. I am still waiting for a response."
