PLANS have been unveiled for three new community hospitals in Somerset in the next five years, including one for Minehead.

The construction of the new facilities is part of Somerset Primary Care Trust's major investment programme for health services in Somerset.

This also includes a new Cancer Centre at Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton.

In Minehead, the community hospital would include 20 inpatient beds, including a clinical assessment unit for urgent care, expanded diagnostic and outpatient services, drop-in treatment centre and patient support centre.

This is part of a larger multi-agency development in Minehead called 'New Horizons'.

National funding has already been secured for the capital element of the hospital scheme.

New facilities are also planned for Bridgwater and South Petherton.

The Primary Care Trust Board is considering the proposals this week.

Chief Executive Ian Tipney, said: "These proposals represent a very exciting and ambitious future for community hospital services in Somerset.

"The new hospitals will work in a very different way, with fewer beds than we have generally had in the past, but with more patients using the services. "This will be achieved by increased staffing levels, more intensive rehabilitation, expanded diagnostic facilities, outpatient services and one-stop shop clinics.

"The proposals will obviously be subject to detailed scrutiny but we are giving a very clear service direction over the next five years."

It is being recommended that all three developments should go ahead within the next five years.