Anna Sabine, the Liberal Democrat MP for Frome and East Somerset, has publicly applauded the NHS staff at Frome Community Hospital for saving her husband’s life after he suffered an anaphylactic shock earlier this year. Speaking during a Westminster Hall debate on June 16 about the future of community hospitals across the UK, Mrs. Sabine emphasized the crucial role these hospitals play in local healthcare.
“Community hospitals are the backbone of local healthcare,” she stated. “They keep people closer to home, reduce pressure on larger general hospitals, and allow families to support loved ones during recovery without the stress of long travel times.” This is particularly vital in rural constituencies like hers, where public transport options are limited and travel distances are long.
Mrs. Sabine urged both the government and NHS Somerset’s Integrated Care Board (ICB) to ensure community hospitals are properly funded and equipped as part of ongoing health service reforms. She expressed concern about the removal of inpatient beds at Frome Community Hospital as part of the ICB’s “test and learn” initiatives, questioning whether these cuts are exacerbating bed-blocking issues in larger hospitals like the Royal United Hospital in Bath.
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Highlighting her personal experience, she thanked the nurses who treated her husband at Frome Hospital’s urgent care department, where he was able to receive swift, lifesaving care. Mrs. Sabine also called for the restoration of inpatient beds at Frome and proposed that the hospital could be integrated into the government’s community hub program to better serve semi-rural areas. However, she noted that Frome and East Somerset were not included in the current list of designated community hubs.
The ICB is in the process of merging with neighboring health boards in Bath and North East Somerset, Dorset, Swindon, and Wiltshire, with a new cluster organisation expected to assume control by late 2027. Mrs. Sabine stressed that her constituents deserve a community hospital that matches the needs of a growing population and a genuine collaborative process in planning its future.
Echoing these sentiments, Sharon Hodgson MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Health and Social Care, affirmed the government’s commitment to community hospitals. She underscored their central role in the NHS’s ten-year plan aimed at strengthening neighbourhood health services, improving integration between health and social care, and expanding access to local support. Hodgson stressed that decisions regarding community hospitals should be tailored to local needs and include thorough engagement with patients, staff, and communities.
Ultimately, the future of community hospitals is integral to a wider community health infrastructure that involves neighbourhood teams, primary care, mental health services, social care, and voluntary organisations. The focus must be on utilising all community assets to provide accessible, high-quality care close to home.