THE future of an NHS-funded hospital which provided rehabilitative care is uncertain after it was closed 'temporarily'.

Renovo Care Group announced that it would be closing South Newton Hospital on Monday, June 19.

Since then, traces of the hospital on the care provider's website have been removed.

This came as a shock to staff who told the Journal that they would all be getting made redundant.

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Renovo Care Group said the closure is 'temporary' while discussions continue with the Bath, North-East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) about the site's long-term future.

A spokesperson for the group added: "This follows the decision by the ICB to move forward with its plans to focus on investing in home-based discharge pathways in the community and to reduce the numbers of escalation beds currently open across the System."

These escalation beds were used as a temporary measure to ease pressure on the system during the surge in demand last winter.

The hospital cared for up to 17 patients, providing a specialist service to adults with brain injuries and progressive neurological disorders.

A spokesperson for the Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire ICB said: "Our use of South Newton was always intended to be temporary, with the site having been used to provide extra space for patients requiring non-urgent care during very busy periods.

“However, we are now focussed on helping patients who do not need to be in hospital to continue their recovery at home or in an alternative care environment, which is why we are now starting to phase out our use of the beds based at South Newton.

“Our Revovo colleagues, along with others from the local health and care system, have been instrumental to this planned move, and we would like to thank them for their support and cooperation, as well as their continued commitment to patient care.”

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John Glen, MP for Salisbury, said: "Long term, the NHS locally has determined that it doesn’t need the extra beds all year round and buying in capacity is not generally a cost-effective way for them to meet the occasional need of this kind.

"A number of people have said to me that they would like to see the hospital either acquired by the NHS or retained as a satellite campus for SDH."

Mr Glen said he was "sorry to hear the news", adding: "I have visited Renovo Care in South Newton and I know they did a brilliant job providing valuable extra capacity for Salisbury District Hospital recently."

South Newton Hospital was previously rated 'inadequate' by the Care Quality Commission on January 13, 2022.

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Inspectors found that the service did not meet the legal requirements relating to safe care, infection control, safeguarding and good governance.

During a follow-up inspection on October 26, inspectors found that most of the issues highlighted had been rectified but some policies were overdue for review.

At this time there were two patients on the Wylye ward and nine patients on the Avon ward.

In September, 2022, Salisbury District Hospital NHS staff used South Newton Hospital while Breamore Ward underwent essential maintenance.