Hospitals increase admissions

A shake-up of hospital admission procedures means extra beds will be available in Gloucestershire.

The Cotswold and Vale Primary Care Trust is to increase direct admissions to its six hospitals.

At least one extra bed is to be made available at Cirencester, Berkeley, Bourton, Moreton-in-Marsh, Fairford and Stroud.

The six beds are for direct admissions by GPs only.

The trust says more people would be treated closer to home rather than taken to Gloucester or Cheltenham.

The extra beds follow a reduction in 'bed blocking' at the trust's hospitals.