The modern, bespoke modular building, will be an extension of Practice Plus Group Hospital, Shepton Mallet. It is the first phase of a wider upgrade programme designed to expand services and streamline patient care.
We saw a clear need for more space to deliver the high-quality care our patients expect…most importantly, it’s [the new building development] about making sure patients get the right care, in the right place, at the right time.
Rachel Harwood, Project Lead for the new development
When complete, the new building will house five consulting rooms and two fully equipped procedure rooms, creating a more patient-friendly environment for minor treatments and outpatient appointments for both its NHS and private self-pay and insured patients who choose to be treated by its Wellsoon private healthcare service. By moving this activity out of the main hospital building, the new centre will free up operating theatres for more orthopaedic surgeries like hip and knee replacements – and is expected to boost the volume of overall hospital surgeries by around a fifth by Christmas.
All patients will see a wide range of benefits from the development. A dedicated treatment room for Wet AMD (age-related macular degeneration) will ensure faster access to sight-saving care. Alongside this, a second procedure room will provide facilities for a variety of treatments, including urology, ENT, gynaecology, orthopaedics, and varicose vein procedures.
The centre will also support the expansion of services to patients who choose its Wellsoon private healthcare service. Private and insured orthopaedic patients will benefit from more non-surgical conservative joint management options, such as joint injections and pain therapies, while a brand-new physiotherapy service will introduce advanced techniques including shockwave therapy and ultrasound.
In addition, the facility will allow the hospital to offer private and insured patients minor keyhole surgeries under the care of Consultant orthopaedic surgeon, Alison Edwards, for conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome and trigger finger, giving patients more local access to care that is quicker, less invasive, and more comfortable.
By creating a dedicated space for outpatient care and minor procedures, we’re increasing outpatient capacity by up to a fifth and allowing more treatments to be carried out on site before the end of the year. It’s an investment in our patients, our community, and the future of healthcare in the region.
Catherine Farr, Hospital Director at Practice Plus Group Hospital, Shepton Mallet
Catherine Farr, Hospital Director, says: “Our new patient treatment centre set in our hospital grounds will be a major step forward for Practice Plus Group Hospital, Shepton Mallet. By creating a dedicated space for outpatient care and minor procedures, we’re not only making the patient experience more comfortable, but also increasing outpatient capacity by up to a fifth and allowing more treatments to be carried out on site before the end of the year. It’s an investment in our patients, our community, and the future of healthcare in the region. This is just the beginning and forms phase one of a wider programme to modernise and expand our hospital for the next 20 years and beyond.”
Rachel Harwood, Project Lead for the new development, and also the Radiology Manager at the hospital, added: “We saw a clear need for more space to deliver the high-quality care our patients expect. Many procedures simply don’t require a full operating theatre, and this new centre will allow us to treat people more quickly and in a more relaxed setting. It also gives us room to grow important services like gynaecology and minor orthopaedics, while supporting innovation such as new physiotherapy techniques. Most importantly, it’s about making sure patients get the right care, in the right place, at the right time.”
The centre is being delivered in partnership with Premier Modular, who specialise in modern, efficient modular healthcare buildings with ground-breaking taking place on 23 September 2025. The facility is expected to welcome its first patients by late November 2025.
Privately insured or self-paying patients can book consultations directly with Wellsoon private healthcare from Practice Plus Group, and NHS patients can ask their GP for a referral to the hospital.