Small Somerset hospital to increase operations by Christmas
One of Somerset’s smaller hospitals will be expanded to allow more patients to be treated in the coming months.
The Practice Plus Group Hospital is located on Bucklers Way on the western edge of Shepton Mallet, a stone’s throw from the town’s NHS community hospital.
The hospital provides treatment for both NHS and private patients, offering a range of services including hip and knee replacements.
The hospital group has now begun construction on a modular extension, which will open later this year as part of the hospital’s 20th anniversary celebrations.
The new building will house five consulting rooms and two fully equipped procedure rooms, creating “a more patient-friendly environment” for minor treatments and outpatients.
The development will free up operating theatres for more orthopaedic surgeries like hip and knee replacements – with the overall number of surgeries being carried out expected to rise by 20 per cent by Christmas.
Hospital director Catherine Farr said: “Our new patient treatment centre set in our hospital grounds will be a major step forward for Shepton Mallet Hospital.
“By creating a dedicated space for outpatient care and minor procedures, we’re not only making the patient experience more comfortable, but also increasing outpatient capacity by up to a fifth and allowing more treatments to be carried out on site before the end of the year.
“It’s an investment in our patients, our community, and the future of healthcare in the region.
“This is just the beginning and forms phase one of a wider programme to modernise and expand our hospital for the next 20 years and beyond.”
The hospital extension will include a dedicated treatment room for age-related macular degeneration, with the second procedure room offering facilities for urology, ENT, gynaecology, orthopaedics, and varicose vein procedures.
The facility will also allow the hospital to offer private and insured patients minor keyhole surgeries under the care of consultant orthopaedic surgeon Alison Edwards, providing treatments for conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome and trigger finger.
Rachel Harwood, project lead for the new development (and the hospital’s radiology manager) said: “We saw a clear need for more space to deliver the high-quality care our patients expect.
“Many procedures simply don’t require a full operating theatre, and this new centre will allow us to treat people more quickly and in a more relaxed setting.
“It also gives us room to grow important services like gynaecology and minor orthopaedics, while supporting innovation such as new physiotherapy techniques.
“Most importantly, it’s about making sure patients get the right care, in the right place, at the right time.”
Premier Modular – which specialises in modern, efficient modular healthcare buildings – is expected to complete work on the project by late-November.