Health campaigners and local officials have voiced strong opposition to the planned closure of Yeovil Hospital’s hyper-acute stroke unit (HASU), warning that removing this critical service endangers patients. The NHS Somerset Integrated Care Board approved the closure in January 2024, redirecting urgent stroke cases to hospitals in Dorchester or Taunton.
The decision has provoked significant backlash from residents, Yeovil MP Adam Dance, and Yeovil Town Council, all seeking intervention from the Department of Health and Social Care to reconsider the move. Campaigners and Somerset Council’s adults and health scrutiny committee highlight concerns that longer ambulance wait times will worsen patient outcomes.
Stroke care in the NHS is divided into hyper-acute services, which manage emergencies within the first 72 hours, and acute services for less critical cases. Under the new plan, Yeovil will maintain its acute stroke unit but will no longer provide hyper-acute care. Instead, hyper-acute stroke patients will be taken to Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton or Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester, according to proximity.
Musgrove’s upgrades are set for completion by late May, with full works concluding by August. Meanwhile, Dorchester’s HASU is expected to be ready by June. Yeovil’s acute stroke services will move to Level 9 of the hospital, previously a psychiatric ward, featuring enhanced rehabilitation spaces, including a larger therapy gym and a communal kitchen. The revised service will launch officially in September, with transport services adjusted to facilitate patient recovery closer to home.
Ray Tostevin of the Quicksilver Community Group expressed grave fears before the scrutiny committee in Bridgwater, emphasizing the urgent need to improve ambulance response times. “Closing the Yeovil HASU without addressing ambulance delays is a massive risk to patient safety,” he said, calling the closure decision flawed and urging focus on improving existing services rather than eliminating them.
Conservative Councillor Lucy Trimnell echoed these worries, recounting feedback from a local NHS consultant who would personally drive his wife to the hospital rather than rely on ambulance services. She highlighted local traffic issues that contribute to delays and stressed the difficulty in attracting specialist healthcare professionals to rural Somerset, noting the broader impact on access to essential services.
Dr. Rob Whiting, a stroke consultant at Musgrove Park Hospital, acknowledged the challenge but noted efforts to reduce ambulance response times. South West Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) classifies strokes as “category two” emergencies, aiming to respond within 30 minutes on average, with a current target of 27 minutes.
Chris Turner, SWASFT’s area head for ambulance operations in Somerset, stressed the importance of calling an ambulance during medical emergencies and outlined ongoing efforts to improve response efficiency across the county.
The ongoing debate highlights a critical balance between centralizing specialist stroke care and ensuring timely access for rural communities, with patient safety and service quality at the heart of the controversy.