NHS Somerset reports back on West Mendip and Frome bed reductions and proposes 50% cuts at Crewkerne and Burnham — I remain unconvinced by the findings.

At the Adults & Health Scrutiny Committee on 26 February 2026 I challenged NHS Somerset’s initial 12‑week evaluation of the test‑and‑learn in West Mendip and Frome Community Hospitals. While shifting care into neighbourhood settings and expanding home reablement (a Somerset Council priority) has merit, the report’s headline findings leave critical gaps in data and information and do not yet convince me to support further temporary bed reductions or any move toward permanent change. NHS Somerset now proposes to expand the “test and learn” to Crewkerne and Burnham‑on‑Sea, halving inpatient beds at each site (from 16 to 8) for a 12‑month period.

My key concerns:

– Missing locality and patient‑flow data: are patients genuinely cared for closer to home or being concentrated at other sites? 

– Unclear system‑wide impact: is pressure simply shifting to Musgrove Park, RUH or other acute trusts? 

– Opaque survey methodology: headline figures (e.g. 100% confidence, 96% meeting goals) require sample sizes, response rates, selection method, demographics and timing. Committee comment referenced a 5% response — 5% of what? 

– Absent safety and mortality data: need all‑cause and cause‑specific mortality, 30‑ and 90‑day post‑discharge rates, breakdown by reablement‑at‑home vs bed‑based care, sample sizes, statistical testing and summaries of any mortality reviews. 

– Care‑home commissioning and capacity: clarity required on spot‑purchase impact, pathways and contingency if care‑home demand rises.

Next steps

I hope NHS Somerset will answer the questions I have sent via the Scrutiny Committee following our meeting this week, which weren’t answered. I will only support further temporary bed reductions or progression toward permanent redesign once these items are provided and independently scrutinised.

NHS Somerset “test and learn” evaluation report, as part of the Somerset Council Scrutiny Committee Report Pack

My question put to NHS Somerset:

1. The vision is bringing residents home, with cuts to beds; a resident spent a significant birthday in Burnham War Memorial Hospital recuperating after a fall. They live in the Mendip area. Do you have data that show people are going to their local hospitals?

2. What has the impact been on Musgrove Park Hospital, RUH and other acute trusts — are there impacts or delays in discharge?

3. What was the sample size and methodology for the questionnaire underpinning the reported 100% satisfaction figures (and the 96% reablement‑goals figure) — how many people responded, how were they selected, and over what period were responses collected?

4. The commissioning of care home beds is moving to a spot‑purchase model, which the Council is leading on — when can we get that update and what does it look like for SC (we need the data)?

5. Please provide more details on the additional diagnostics services you have increased or when this will happen?

6. Please provide mortality data for the test period and a comparable baseline period: all‑cause and cause‑specific mortality, 30‑ and 90‑day post‑discharge rates, broken down by reablement‑at‑home versus bed‑based care. Include sample sizes, statistical significance, and any review/learning from deaths.

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