Williton Hospital

NHS Somerset and Somerset Partnership NHS Foundation Trust Joint Statement

A recent review of inpatient beds at Williton Community Hospital by NHS Somerset, local GPs and the Somerset Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, has concluded that stroke and general beds at the hospital can be safely reduced in numbers whilst still meeting the needs of the local community.

The hospital provides rehabilitation for stroke patients from West Somerset, Taunton, Taunton Deane and Sedgemoor and general community hospital in patient care for the local population.

The review shows that improvements made in the way stroke patients are rehabilitated with many more being supported within their own homes, and more efficient working on the part of staff, will lead to less patients using the hospital, and a reduction in the average length of stay for stroke patients at the hospital from approximately five weeks to three weeks. This in turn has created the opportunity to look at beds numbers and a more efficient use of resources.

The review recommends reducing the number of beds at the hospital from 45 to 20 (10 stroke beds and 10 general beds) with an additional 12 beds being available and ready to open on ‘standby’ should demand increase over the winter months.

Key factors which have influenced the review group’s recommendations are:  

• The bed occupancy rates at the hospital have been consistently low over the last two years.  Bed occupancy at the hospital is currently averaging at just 73%;
• Improvements in the delivery of stroke care and rehabilitation, assisted by the success of the Early Supported Discharge scheme, now mean at least 10% of stroke patients are supported in their home and are not admitted to a community hospital;
• A purpose built Specialist Stroke Rehabilitation Inpatient Centre now operates from new South Petherton Community Hospital The centre provides specialist rehabilitation services delivered in single roomed accommodation and with en suite facilities;
• The review estimated that at least 59 stroke patients each year (mainly from Taunton, Chard and the surrounding areas), who would have previously been referred to Williton Hospital, will now be cared for at South Petherton Hospital’s Specialist Stroke Rehabilitation facilities. Stroke patients from the Williton Bridgwater and the Minehead area will continue to receive their care at Williton Hospital
• Detailed service ‘modelling’ of demand for community hospital beds over the last two years showed that the combined capacity of Williton Hospital (eg, if they were using just 20 beds + 12 ‘standby’ beds) and neighbouring hospitals, would still have met local inpatient demand whilst having vacant beds available

Members of the review group now propose to discuss the report’s conclusions with community stakeholders and staff groups.