Potential improvements to Crewkerne Community Hospital will be open for discussion over the next few months. Better diagnostic services, more rehabilitation and expanded specialist clinics are just some of the proposals being advocated for the future development of the hospital.

Today members of South Somerset Primary Care Trust, the organisation responsible for funding local health services and managing the 20-bed hospital, will be meeting in Chard to consider draft proposals for the hospital and are expected to approve plans for a formal public consultation.

Many of the proposals have been influenced by patient and public views following a series of listening events held by the trust on 2002.

Suggestions for improvement included everything from increasing clinic space to improving hospital parking.

Trust chief executive Dr Virginia Pearson said: “The trust recognises that patients and the community value the services which are currently delivered by the hospital and want to see these expand.

“People are living longer and the pattern of disease in the population is changing and we expect more complex medical conditions can be treated closer to home.”

The key proposals within the hospital’s development plan include:

Clinics for patients affected by strokes, diabetes, skin problems, podiatry and leg ulcers;

Improving diagnostic facilities for monitoring patients’ blood pressure, heart problems, hearing difficulties and diabetic eye screening;

Maintaining the local treatment centre (currently open from 9am-5pm) as part of a wider network of local treatment centres and the minor injuries and illness unit at Chard;

Improving referral and access to therapy and integrated reablement services, such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy; and

Maintaining existing bed numbers but developing a room to deliver palliative care.

Members of the public are invited to give their views on the development plan for the hospital. Comments should be sent to South Somerset Primary Care Trust no later than Friday 13 May 2005.

Free copies of the Development Plan for Crewkerne Community Hospital are available by telephoning the Trust on 01460 238600 or by writing to Development Plan for Crewkerne Community Hospital, South Somerset Primary Care Trust, Chataway House, Chard Business Park, Leach Road, Chard, TA20 1FR.

Alternatively copies of the consultation document are available from the trust’s web site at http://www.southsomersetpct.nhs.uk