Moretonhampstead Hospital building to be vacated due to safety concerns

The NHS has confirmed that the building housing Moretonhampstead Community Hospital will be vacated at the end of June due to safety and infrastructure concerns.

Currently, the only NHS service operating from the site is a weekly leg ulcer clinic, which serves three patients per week.  

For now, the leg ulcer clinic continues unchanged and patients should attend their appointments as normal.

The Moorlander understands that there is no proposal to stop any services, but it is likely the leg ulcer clinic will be provided from a different location in the town.

The NHS confirmed that all the health services that were being provided from the building are still being provided to the patients in Moretonhampstead who require them.

An engagement process with local people will be run to support any change in location.

The building also accommodates office space for the local community nursing team.

From 30 June 2025, the site will be vacated. 

NHS Devon said it will work with NHS Property Services to begin the hand back process.

A spokesperson said: “The Moretonhampstead community hospital building pre-dates the NHS and the building is now old and outdated and has suffered further deterioration over the past few months. Water and damp ingress is now significant, making it an unsafe environment for staff and patient care.”

The Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has confirmed that the community nursing team will relocate to new office space in the centre of Moretonhampstead. 

The team will continue to deliver the same services, although some care that previously required patients to attend the hospital will now be delivered at home, where possible.

NHS Devon said: “Where there was a need for patients to visit the hospital for these services, and where possible, this can now be done in people’s homes.”

NHS Devon said replacing the roof on the building would not represent good value for taxpayers, given its age and limited use.

“The high cost of replacing the roof on such an old building that is only used by a small number of patients is not viewed as a good use of taxpayer’s money by NHS Devon,” the statement added.

NHS Devon has been engaging with a group of local community representatives, chaired by Moretonhampstead Parish Council, to discuss the site’s future. 

An update on the next steps will be given by NHS Devon’s Estates Director at a community meeting in July.

The Moorlander understands that once NHS Devon completes its assurance processes for services, the community hospital building will be formally handed back to NHS Property Services.

At that point, NHS Property Services will decide on the future of the site, which could include finding new tenants or putting the building up for sale on the open market.

Because hospital buildings must meet higher standards than typical commercial or community premises, they can be more expensive to maintain and occupy.

Local community representatives have already expressed interest in purchasing the property, and talks with NHS officials are expected to continue over the coming months, following the guidelines of the NHS Estate Code.