Shepton Mallet Hospital has broken ground on a major expansion that will transform outpatient care and boost surgery numbers ahead of the hospital's 20th anniversary.

The new modular building, now under construction beside the existing Practice Plus Group Hospital, will house five consulting rooms and two fully equipped procedure rooms. It's the first phase of a wider programme to modernise and expand healthcare in Shepton for both NHS and private patients.

The extension will allow minor procedures and outpatient appointments to take place away from the main hospital building — freeing up operating theatres for more orthopaedic surgeries such as hip and knee replacements. The hospital says this change alone is expected to increase the overall number of surgeries by around 20% by Christmas.

The unit will also include a dedicated treatment room for wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), offering faster access to sight-saving care. A second procedure room will handle urology, ENT, gynaecology, orthopaedics and varicose vein work.

For private and insured patients using the hospital's Wellsoon service, the expansion will open the door to new treatment options — from conservative joint therapies and pain management to advanced physiotherapy techniques like shockwave and ultrasound. Consultant orthopaedic surgeon Alison Edwards will also offer keyhole procedures for carpal tunnel and trigger finger.

Catherine Farr, Hospital Director, said the project was a major step forward: "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."

Project lead Rachel Harwood added: "It's about making sure patients get the right care, in the right place, at the right time."

The facility is due to welcome its first patients by late November 2025.

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