'We trust the trust and they trust us' – Town celebrates after rare victory to save hospital beds

The unit had been temporarily closed in 2021 due to staffing issues.

That closure looked set to become permanent before a joint effort between the town's residents and Shropshire Community Health Trust (Shropcom), which runs the hospital, resulted in a successful recruitment drive.

Those efforts to find staff were supported and promoted by the town residents and the 'Save our Beds' campaign, and have been hailed as model other towns and communities could follow when looking to preserve their own services.

The success is a rare story, with closure plans rarely reversed, and official consultations increasingly depressingly seen as a method of rubber stamping bad news, and taking the sting out of the loss.

The result, approved by Shropcom's board on Thursday, has seen praise from both sides, with the trust thanking the community for its work, and campaigners thanking the trust and its staff for being good to their word and working with them to re-open the unit.

Bishop's Castle's 27-year-old mayor, Councillor Josh Dickin, has been one of those leading the campaign, and he said residents were still thrilled at the outcome.

The campaign has seen hundreds turn out for marches in the town, with Mayor Dickin also pushed for miles around the county in hospital bed as part of fundraising efforts.

Mayor Dickin said: "It has not quite sunk in yet. It took me about an hour to get down the street this morning just stopping and talking to people. There was quite a buzz."

The mayor praised the partnership that had formed between the community and Shropcom, saying: "We have got a new relationship, we trust the trust and they trust us. It has worked, it is a new model that could be used across the country, let alone the county."

Asked if he was shocked at the success the mayor said: "It was surprising but as the months moved on we got more and more confident and the trust built between the two.

"The recruitment days were as successful as we thought they ever would be. Every time they blew us off our feet."

He added: "We were sat here last year at this time when they started doing the public engagement sessions and we would never have dreamed of this result. There was talk of maybe keeping six beds, but we said never settle for second best."

The mayor said the Bishop's Castle might be a small town, but it had a community who care about what happens there, and want the best for their fellow residents.

He said: "Bishop's Castle rolls up its sleeves, gets on and does it, and makes sure they don't take no for an answer, and that is the attitude – not in an aggressive way, in a proactive positive way."

He added: "It is a big thing for such a small town, a sparse rural population, to bring out a big result, it is like David vs Goliath."

Speaking after the board confirmed its decision, Patricia Davies, chief executive of Shropcom said: "Myself and the trust board made a commitment to re-open the inpatient beds if safe to do so and we are thrilled to be working on the plan for the re-opening of the service."

She added: "On behalf of myself and the trust board I would like to say a huge thank you to the local community and all members of staff who have worked tirelessly behind the scenes and played an integral part in us being able to re-open the beds.

"The work doesn’t end here. We will now continue to work together to ensure the smooth reopening of the inpatient service."