SHROPSHIRE Community Health Trust has defended its closure of one of two wards at Ludlow Hospital.

This follows a statement from the Ludlow Portcullis GP Surgery that said the closure of Stretton Ward marked the 'beginning of the end for Ludlow Hospital.'

The trust has confirmed that it is bringing all of its inpatient beds at Ludlow Hospital on to one ward.

A statement from the trust says: "This means that instead of having two 12-bedded wards on different floors, we will be able to bring all of our inpatient services together. This will benefit patients, visitors and staff at the hospital.

"At the moment we have Dinham Ward on the ground floor, which has 12 beds catering for female patients. On the first floor we have Stretton Ward, which has 12 beds that cater for male patients.

"At the end of this week we are planning to bring our inpatient beds on to one clinical area that is at ground level, which will be arranged into two separate parts to ensure our patients are still being cared for in a single sex environment."

The trust claims the change will have benefits for patients.

"By bringing our patients together we are making it easier for people to be cared for and visitors to get to and from the ward, and for our ward staff it means they are brought together in one inpatient clinical area," said its statement.

"There are many clinical and logistical advantages of having these services brought together, such as staffing, clinical rounds and the delivery of equipment and patient meals.

"We would like to thank our staff for coming up with this idea to ensure we continue to deliver the right care, at the right time with the right level of staff."

Visiting times on the ward will be 2pm to 4pm and 6.15pm to 8pm.

Do you have a view on the closure of Stretton Ward? Email mark.bowen@midlands.newsquest.co.uk with your opinions.