THE future of Ludlow Hospital could be as a health hub but with no beds.

This is a concern of two Ludlow councillors one of whom is a nurse.

Andy Boddington who represents Ludlow North on Shropshire Council and Tracey Huffer who sits for Ludlow East are worried that this may be the future for the East Hamlet hospital.

“All indications suggest that our hospital will not be an Urgent Care Centre but a sort of community hub for health services,” said Andy Boddington.

“Closure of beds will mean that sick people will have to travel to Shrewsbury or Telford when they could have been treated in Ludlow.

“Ludlow patients returning from acute care are being placed in hospitals as far away as Leominster, Bishops Castle and Bromyard.

“I fear that the bed based operation in Ludlow Hospital is being closed by stealth. Under ‘Future Fit’ we may still have a hospital in Ludlow but with no beds.”

The location of the new urgent care centres that will sit a step below Accident and Emergency but above Minor Injuries Units in the hierarchy of care will be determined as part of ‘Future Fit’ but no date has been set for a decision.