The changes planned for ambulance arrivals and operations at Weston General Hospital

People arriving at Weston General by ambulance will no longer be treated at the hospital for any more than 24 hours unless they are 'older' patients. 

The move comes as part of a proposal to increase capacity at the North Somerset hospital for planned procedures - including hip, knee and cataract operations. 

The public will have eight weeks to have their say on the plans but the news is unlikely to be welcomed by those calling for the full reopening of the hospital's accident and emergency department - which currently closes overnight.

The Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) - which is responsible for NHS services in the area - said the plan will "secure a sustainable future".

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What are the proposals for Weston General Hospital?

People arriving at the hospital by ambulance (other than older people) will receive their initial assessment and treatment at Weston General Hospital.

But if they require a stay longer than 24 hours, they will be transferred to a different hospital for their care. The hospital has not released a definition for which patients will be considered 'older people'.

Under the proposals, the hospital would carry out more pre-planned operations

The CCG says the plans will make way for thousands more planned procedures at Weston General Hospital.

It added the proposal has been developed by senior doctors, nurses and health and care staff and aims to ensure the hospital can attract and retain the staff it needs in the long-term.

An eight-week public engagement period on the proposals will run from 20 June to 14 August.

Clinical chair of the CCG Dr Jonathan Hayes said: "This proposal moves us another step closer to our ambition for Weston General Hospital to lead the country as a pioneer for successful local hospitals - delivering high-quality care that meets people’s needs."

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Weston General Hospital's medical director Dr Andrew Hollowood described the plan as a "real opportunity".

He added: "By changing how we treat people needing an emergency inpatient stay of longer than 24 hours, we can create the capacity to provide more of the services local people need and use most often.

"This includes undertaking thousands more additional planned procedures locally in Weston each year."