THE Wye Valley NHS Trust has vowed to explore other options to prevent temporarily closing the inpatient ward at Bromyard Community Hospital.

The trust decided to temporarily close the ward from September 11 due to patient safety grounds because of staff shortages and the significant use of bank/agency staff.

There was a packed public meeting last night at The Falcon Mews in Bromyard where residents made their feelings known about how much the ward means to them.

Chief executive, Richard Beeken, said: “We are committed to further discussions with the inpatient ward staff members at the hospital to explore additional actions, where possible, to prevent the temporary closure due to take effect no later than Friday September 11.

“If we are not able to find alternative options, we are increasingly confident that by working closely with the ward staff members and through further recruitment plans already underway, that the trust will be able to re-open the ward before Christmas.

“We will ensure that permanent staff currently employed on the ward, due to be redeployed to other sites during this period, will retain their post at Bromyard Community Hospital and will therefore return to the hospital once the inpatient ward re-opens”.