Keynsham Hospital is set to close

Keynsham Hospital could close under new plans which would see patients using a new community hospital in Bristol.

United Bristol Healthcare Trust (UBHT) has been consulting over the future of the hospital since November 2005.

The trust has recommended that beds for the area should be moved to Bristol General ahead of a new South Bristol Community Hospital planned for 2008.

It adds that the former Keynsham Hospital site should become a "health park" following the hospital's closure.

Final fate

A spokeswoman for Bath and North East Somerset Primary Care Trust, which would run the new health park, said the replacement services in the town would be based around a health centre.

She added that several GPs surgeries and Keynsham Clinic could transfer to the centre to provide care under the plans.

UBHT will now draw up an implementation plan for the hospital's planned closure.

The hospital's final fate will be decided over the next three weeks.

Five primary care trusts that use the hospital's services have to meet to rubber stamp the decision.