Community hospitals takeover bid

Shropshire's four community hospitals could be taken over by another health body, it emerged today.

The hospitals at Whitchurch, Bridgnorth, Ludlow and Bishop's Castle are currently run by the Shropshire County Primary Care Trust but the Government wants PCTs to concentrate on commissioning health services rather than providing them.

Officials today said any change would have no impact on "frontline" patient care.

The trust is currently in talks with a number of health organisations - including the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust - about taking over the running of the four centres and other community services.

Jo Chambers, Shropshire County PCT chief executive, said: "Last month the Department of Health asked all PCTs nationally to look at the options for the future management of their directly provided community health services, with the most likely options being for the services to be run by a local NHS acute hospital or mental health trust, another community-based provider or a social enterprise.

"Like all PCTs in the country, we are responding to the requirement from the Department of Health to look at the options for which organisation might manage our community health services. All the options involve local health service organisations."