Enterprise House Bishop's Castle News: The Library is open on Saturday mornings with thanks to the support of Volunteers. Please pop in, new library members are always welcome and there are some really interesting local history resource materials as well. IT clinics are held on a Tuesday , please phone in advance if you need help with your home computer, lap top or other IT kit 01588 638038. Village Outreach have marquees and other event equipment available for hire at very reasonable rates, you can find out more about what is available on this link Village Outreach - Enterprise House or give them a call on 01588 630097 or 01588 638038 or get in touch by email: villageoutreach@bishopscastle.co.uk

Bishop's Castle Hospital Closure

We were all shocked recently when the Shropshire Community Health Trust suddenly announce it was temporarily closing Bishop's Castle Hospital. This was done without warning and without consulting the community.

Since then, my colleagues, Ruth Houghton and Nigel Hartin, and I have been campaigning hard to ensure that our local hospital re-opens soon and is not permanently shut on one pretext or another. We have written an open letter to the Chief Executive and appeared many times in the press and on Radio Shropshire. We are also asking questions at the County's Joint Health Scrutiny Committee.

The temporary closure of Bishop's Castle Community hospital has come as a huge blow to local people who haven't been consulted on the closure despite the hospital having been part of the fabric of Bishop's Castle and embedded in the local community for over 50 years.

This week a community team was established by the health Trust that closed the hospital. The team consists of nursing staff, health care assistants and admin support staff with the aim of supporting people in their own homes, reducing ambulance conveyances, preventing unnecessary hospital admissions and facilitating early discharge from hospital. It is the same model that was implemented a few years ago when the hospital had to temporarily close whilst a new floor was laid.

Dear Mrs Davies

As the three Shropshire Councillors representing the South West of the County in Bishop's Castle, Clun and Chirbury divisions we are writing to express our dismay and shock at the sudden temporary closure of the Community Hospital in Bishop's Castle.

As you set out in the online briefing on the 15^th October organised by the Director of People at Shropshire Councillor and attended by Councillor Ruth Houghton and the Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care we fully understand the importance of delivering a safe service for patients and a safe working environment for staff. However, what we don't understand is why the decision to close the hospital on a temporary basis was made when it was.