Consultation on rehabilitation beds launched

Rehabilitation beds could be returned to Ellen Badger Hospital under the new plans

A consultation into whether a rehabilitation ward should return to a hospital in South Warwickshire has been launched.

NHS Coventry and Warwickshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) has asked for people to comment on the future locations of 35 community rehabilitation beds in South Warwickshire.

Patients, staff and the public have been asked to choose between two options, one of which would see the rehabilitation ward returned to Ellen Badger Hospital, in Shipston-on-Stour.

People have until 14 February to comment on the plans.

The ICB said a decision on which of the two options should be used will be made by the end of March.

The first available option would involve the 35 beds spread across the Ellen Badger Hospital, Leamington Spa Hospital, and Stratford Hospital.

This would reduce the number of beds currently at Stratford Hospital and Leamington Spa Hospital and return up to 12 beds to the Ellen Badger site.

The second option would see the beds split between the two sites in Leamington Spa and Stratford.

The wards would remain the same current size at the two hospitals, and there would no longer be any beds at the Ellen Badger site.

Both the South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust and the ICB have indicated they prefer the second option because it provides "high-quality, affordable care, focusing on areas with greatest patient need for rehabilitation".

The ICB is holding four in-person consultation events and four online meetings.