The 10 inpatient hospital beds were closed   on a “temporary” basis on 13th May, without any prior announcement, due to safety measures claimed by the Trust during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Community Hospital has been under threat of closure for almost 4 years, but there was fierce backlash from Campaigners and the local community who suspected there may have been another agenda at stake and that the closure might not be “temporary”.

The news broke on Friday that Leicester Partnership Trust will re-open the beds in a few weeks.  The hospital will now become a newly created isolation facility for patients with Covid – 19.  This is very welcome and will certainly be a safer option than discharging patients to care/nursing homes.

Campaigners remain vigilant and wait for the Trust’s next move. The FPCH is still under threat of ultimate closure.

Save Our NHS Leicestershire will be supporting a national day of action on the weekend of July 4-5 (the NHS’s 72nd birthday). Watch this space for details.