INPATIENT BEDS at Axminster Community Hospital are set to reopen in July.

In a move welcomed by campaigners, North Devon NHS Trust said they have now recruited enough nurses to reinstate 16 inpatient beds at the hospital.

The trust added that nurses recruited for Axminster have already started working at nearby hospitals until the unit reopens.

Steve Holt from the League of Friends and Dr James Vann from the Hospital Action Group, said: “We are delighted with the announcement, it’s not all been plain sailing but we have shown that working together across the trust and community has significant benefits in achieving a common goal.

"We have seen the issues with nurse recruitment but have shown that no problem is insurmountable.

“The trust has limited resources and we were able to bring the support from the community to reopen what is considered by all to be a fundamental and essential part of Axminster hospital."

“Thanks to everyone for the support given throughout.”

Inpatient beds at Axminster were transferred to Seaton in January due to staff shortages and problems with lone working.

Community groups campaigned for the beds to return to Axminster, and the League of Friends offered £300,000 to kick-start this process.

A joint action team, made up of the trust, the League and the Hospital Action Group, looked at ways of bringing the beds back to Axminster.

These included holding four recruitment days at Seaton, Axminster, Tiverton and Sidmouth hospitals and running an advertising campaign.

The team announced it had surpassed its 80 percent target of employed nurses, and will fill the remaining 20 percent of hours with relief and bank staff as well as agency workers.

Darryn Allcorn, the trust's director of workforce and development for the trust, said: I am thrilled that we are now in a position to plan for the reopening of the beds." in Axminster.

“We are really proud of what we have achieved by working in such positive collaboration with the Axminster community."

“It is testament to the willingness of everyone involved to understand each other’s point of view that we have managed to achieve this shared goal - this is what true partnership working is all about.

“I’d like to say a huge thank you to our newly recruited and returning staff who will be part of the team at Axminster for their flexibility and patience while we have been going through this process.

“Our sincere thanks also go to the League of Friends for their very kind offer of £300,000, without which this would not have been possible.”

The Trust added it will issue more details shortly.