Health chiefs face difficult task

The crunch time will come next January when they tell the public what action is feasible to help resolve the bed problem in the county.

Between now and then they will be evaluating and costing options and looking for the best affordable solutions.

Paul Bates, chief executive of Herefordshire Primary Care Trust has warned there will be difficult decisions to make and there will be no cheap routes to success.

"We will have to look for the best solution we can afford,'' he said.

The Primary Care Trust with Hereford Hospitals Trust and Herefordshire Health Authority are working on an action plan over the beds issue following an independent report by a team from the University of Birmingham.

The team had been asked to investigate if the number of beds in Hereford's new hospital would be enough for future needs and reported they might just be, but very careful management would be required.

In the weeks to come, the authorities will be re-examining the future use of hutted wards at the County Hospital due to close in four years time. They will consider the physical life span of the wards, whether more beds can be fitted into the new hospital and the feasibility of building new wards there. The work of the rapid response team in Hereford will also be reviewed.

The possible expansion of community hospitals will be looked at and there will be more discussion with Herefordshire Council over the rehabilitation of patients and more use of council homes. The council's ability to fund more residential care for patients will be a major issue. If the council cannot pay for residential care places patients will stay in hospital longer, blocking beds.

With more beds needing more staff there will be the question of the cost and ability to recruit and retain more qualified people. The Beds in Herefordshire issue will be on the agenda at a meeting of Herefordshire Health Authority this week.