In-patient cover will not be provided at Warminster Hospital

GPs in Warminster have voted not to provide out-of-hours cover whch includes in-patient visits to Warminster Hospital.

New patients will have to be transferred to other hospitals and the decision may also affect casualty admissions at the Wiltshire hospital.

Wiltshire Primary Health Care Trust has now engaged other GPs outside the town to provide cover.

GPs in Melksham have also stepped in to prevent a potential emergency temporary closure of some of the services at the town's hospital.

Dr Rob Matthews and Dr James Hill have taken over responsibility for providing GP cover for the 24-bed inpatient ward as well as the minor injuries unit.

The new arrangements will provide better continuity of care for patients Hilary Fairfield

The move followed a proposed change in arrangements for out-of-hours cover.

GPs in Warminster had also indicated to the Primary Care Trust that they had resigned from their contracts.

Hospital wards

Hilary Fairfield of West Wiltshire Primary Care Trust, said: "I am really thrilled that the doctors in Melksham have come to our support.

"The new arrangements will provide better continuity of care for patients and help to facilitate team work with the ward staff."

But, as the situation has still not been resolved in Warminster, it is probable that there will be no GP cover for the hospital wards and minor injury unit from April 1.

As a result, on Thursday the hospital announced it had ceased taking in-patient admissions.