£1m revamp plan for hospital

Health managers have unveiled plans for a £1 million facelift of Bishop's Castle Community Hospital. The scheme will provide 16 in-patient beds.

Shropshire County Primary Care Trust is setting aside £250,000 to get the first phase of work under way.

This is expected to start early next year and will include a new garden room for patients, replacement roof and new windows.

Hospital staff and local GPs have worked with an architect on the plans to improve and extend facilities at the Stone House site.

The total scheme will cost about £1 million and will provide16 in-patient beds, including four single en-suite rooms, double the current space for out-patient clinics, a room for mobile diagnostic tests, an improved entrance and reception and an overnight room for relatives.

Measures to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon dioxide emissions have also been built into the plans.

Angus Hannagan, trust chairman, said today: "The upgrade of the hospital together with more home-based community services for people in the area, is a really exciting way for us to make appropriate services truly local."

Philip Dunne, Conservative MP for Ludlow and chairman of the Stonehouse Forum which has met regularly with the trust to discuss the hospital's future, welcomed what he said was "very positive news" for Bishop's Castle.

Bill Hendley, chairman of the Friends of Stone House, said: "This is a very exciting time for the development of NHS services in Bishop's Castle and the surrounding area."

The trust board agreed in July the hospital should be developed.