More than 900 views shared on Shropshire hospital bed closures

A lack of clarity had led to low morale and fears it would close permanently, staff said in March

More than 900 people have given their views about the future of beds at a community hospital in Shropshire, according to an NHS trust.

Staff shortages at Bishop's Castle Community Hospital in Shropshire led to all 16 inpatient beds closing in October 2021.

Hundreds of residents marched through Bishop's Castle last week to protest against the closure.

Shropshire Community NHS Trust said it recognised people's concerns.

Patricia Davies, chief executive of Shropshire Community NHS Trust, said: "We absolutely understand and feel the passion that people have for healthcare services that we deliver, along with partners in the Bishop's Castle area."

She said a decision on the future of the beds would be made at a meeting on 7 September.

More than 100 people marched through the streets of Bishop's Castle last week

About 160 residents of Bishop's Castle protested on Thursday, with many saying it was "crazy" the beds were not being used.

Campaign group Save Our Beds claimed 30,000 bed days had been lost in the region's hospitals due to the closures.

Alicia Hegarty, from Save Our Beds, claimed community nurses had applied for jobs at the hospital but had "never heard back".

"They told us they applied for jobs and [were] told the hospital is closing, or they applied for jobs and never heard anything," she said.

A decision had been due on 3 August but was deferred to allow the board to review an independent report assessing recruitment concerns.

The trust had previously said there was no "reasonable prospect" of re-opening the beds. It had also said vacancies were so chronic, there was a safety risk.