08/11/2025
Dear Somerset church Leaders and church communities
I am writing to bring your urgent attention to an issue that is deeply affecting our local community and the healthcare services that support us all. Recent developments regarding the future of community hospital beds across Somerset have caused widespread concern among residents, local councils, and health advocates. This matter not only impacts public health but also raises serious moral questions about the motivations behind these decisions, which appear to be driven primarily by financial savings rather than genuine community care.
NHS Somerset Foundation Trust has proposed significant reductions and relocations of inpatient beds at facilities including West Mendip Hospital, Frome Community Hospital, and other community hospitals across Somerset. Reducing vital local services without transparent community involvement or meaningful public consultation risks neglecting the true needs of those most affected.
Although legal requirements may be observed, these actions threaten to undermine the core purpose of healthcare—supporting, caring for, and maintaining the dignity of those in need. This raises serious moral and ethical questions.
Local councils—including Wells City Council, Street Parish Council, and Butleigh Parish Council—have voiced their concerns through official letters, demanding transparency, accountability, and genuine community engagement. Despite these efforts, the full business case remains unpublished, and community voices seem to be sidelined.
One affected staff member questioned why NHS Somerset issued a public statement seeking input from the community when it appears that decisions are effectively predetermined, with the outcomes seemingly already decided before meaningful engagement can take place.
A resident from Mendip, Jackie, expressed her worries poignantly:
"Older people like myself are extremely worried about this. I feel that we need more local medical services, not less. Traveling a minimum of 20 miles for appointments is a nightmare, especially with poor public transport. We also need hospital beds for respite and emergencies. Please keep fighting for us."
While legal requirements may be technically fulfilled, the long-term damage to trust, community health, and the moral fabric of care is clear.
We urge all church communities to stand with these voices, advocating for transparency, genuine community involvement, and a moral approach to healthcare that values human dignity over cost-cutting. Please contact NHS Somerset and the Integrated Care Board (ICB) at the following email addresses to express your concerns and to request meaningful dialogue:
• somicb.engagement@nhs.net
• andy.heron@somersetFT.nhs.uk
Your voice can serve as a reminder that healthcare decisions must be about people—their families, their dignity, and their wellbeing.
Let us call for decisions rooted in moral responsibility, community care, and transparency, ensuring our health services reflect our shared values and serve the common good.
Yours sincerely,
Claire Sully
Somerset Councillor – Mendip South
https://clairesully.com/category/nhs-somerset/
