LEADERS in Street have vowed to address “deeply troubling” plans to repurpose beds at the West Mendip Community Hospital in Glastonbury.

An extraordinary meeting of Street Parish Council was held on July 29 to discuss ‘serious concerns’ over plans to close or repurpose 20 beds at the facility.

They come amid wider plans to redesign health care in the county being put forward by the Somerset NHS Foundation Trust – including the potential loss of beds in Crewkerne and in Frome.

Health chiefs say the proposals are in line with the government’s 10-year plan for the NHS, and aim to bring more services closer to the community.

However, the council in Street said despite the scale and significance of the proposed changes, no public consultation has taken place, and a business case has not been published.

READ MORE: Fears over future of beds at Somerset hospitals amid NHS changes

“This lack of transparency has caused considerable distress to staff and raised alarm within the community,” a spokesperson said.

At the meeting, Street Parish Council:
* Noted concerns raised by Cllr Claire Sully, vice chair of Somerset Council’s Adults and Health Scrutiny Committee;
* Discussed the potential impact on local residents—particularly those without access to transport who may be required to travel further for care;
* Supported calls for Somerset Council to hold an emergency scrutiny meeting to examine the decision in full;
* And resolved to write to Somerset NHS Foundation Trust requesting an immediate pause on implementation and the publication of the business case for proper public and committee scrutiny.

The meeting was told how West Mendip Community Hospital was opened in April 2005 to consolidate services from Butleigh Hospital and Wells & District Hospital.

It provided 36 inpatient beds; offered outpatient rehabilitation and recovery services; operated a Minor Injuries Unit (MIU); acted as a hub for community-based care across the region.

Councillors said the proposed changes would mark ‘a significant departure from the hospital’s founding vision’.

Cllr Bryan Knickerbocker, chair of Street Parish Council, said: “West Mendip Hospital was built to deliver modern, local NHS care for Glastonbury, Street, and the surrounding area — bringing together services from Butleigh and Wells into a single, integrated site.

“The prospect of seeing inpatient beds removed or repurposed without any public consultation or scrutiny is deeply troubling.

“Local people deserve better. These decisions must be made with transparency, community involvement, and compassion.”

MP Anna Sabine has campaigned against cuts at Frome Community Hospital

The council will now write formally to Somerset NHS Foundation Trust to: Express strong concerns about the decision-making process; Request an immediate pause on implementation; Request publication of the full business case; And highlight the negative implications for local residents, particularly those who may struggle to access distant services.

The move comes after several county MPs, including Sarah Dyke (Lib Dem, Glastonbury & Somerton), Adam Dance (Lib Dem, Yeovil) and Anna Sabine (Lib Dem, Frome & East Somerset) stated their opposition to the proposals and called for more details from health bosses.

In response, a spokesperson for NHS Somerset, which is responsible for planning, paying for and monitoring healthcare in the county, said: “This summer we are talking to local people across the county to get their views on how the NHS in Somerset puts into practice one of the three key shifts at the heart of the Government’s new 10-Year Health Plan – moving care from hospitals to communities.

“This could involve reshaping the way care is provided in local communities, with more care delivered in local neighbourhoods and in people’s homes.”