It offers a range of services
Daniel Mumby and Local Democracy Reporter
07:00, 24 Feb 2026
Patient receiving treatment at the new Mendip Unit at the Practice Plus Group Hospital in Shepton Mallet(Image: Local Democracy Reporting Service)
One of Somerset’s hospitals can offer more appointments to local residents after its newest unit was officially opened.
The Practice Plus Group Hospital on Bucklers Way in Shepton Mallet, a stone’s throw from the town’s NHS community hospital, provides treatment for both NHS and private patients, offering a range of services including hip and knee replacements.
Construction began in September 2025 on the new ‘Mendip Unit’ opposite the main entrance, which formed part of the hospital’s 20th anniversary celebrations.
The new unit was officially opened by hospital director Catherine Farr and chief executive Ross Dowsett, accompanied by town councillors David Crisfield and Jane Nicklin.
The new Mendip Unit at the Practice Plus Group Hospital in Shepton Mallet is now open(Image: Local Democracy Reporting Service)
The new facility comprises four consulting rooms and two fully equipped procedure rooms, with a dedicated minor theatre, expanded outpatient space, additional consultant-led clinical rooms and a private consulting suite.
A wide range of services can be offered on-site, including treatment for age-related macular degeneration, oculoplastics, urology, ear, nose and throat (ENT), gynaecology and orthopaedics.
Varicose vein treatments and day-case procedures such as vasectomy, carpal tunnel and trigger finger release are also available, improving access to consultant-led care locally.
Ms Farr spoke said this would make it much easier for patients across eastern Somerset to access key health services.
The new Mendip Unit(Image: Local Democracy Reporting Service)
She added: “This will give Somerset patients the ability to access outpatient services more quickly, in a much more up-to-date and modernised environment.
“We will be able to treat more patients in an outpatients environment rather than taking them into theatres, reducing their wait significantly.
“We started talking about this 18 months ago, and we went into development with Premier Modular, which was involved in the units which were built during the pandemic. The build took around 12 weeks.”
Mr Dowsett added: “The leadership team realised we were getting bottlenecked in certain areas and fundamentally we wanted to create additional capacity for patients.
“While it is a small site, the depth of what it does for us in allowing patients to be seen in a non-theatre setting is a fundamental shift in the patient pathway.
“It’s fantastic in terms of the speed of the build, and it’s a fantastic looking facility inside. The primary aim is to make sure the patient gets seen in the best available setting for them.”
Around 85 per cent of all patients treated at the new facility will be NHS patients, with the Somerset NHS Foundation Trust commissioning the hospital to carry out procedures in a bid to ease pressure on its own acute hospitals in Taunton and Yeovil.
The remaining 15 per cent of patients comprise those with private medical insurance or those self-funding their treatment.
Mr Dowsett said that the facility would play a huge part in the government’s drive to cut NHS waiting lists under the ten-year plan for the healthcare.
He said: “I consider ourselves to be part of the local NHS – we’ve been here for more than 20 years, and I think our patients would tell you they’ve had a fantastic experience here.
“The expediture on the independent sector is a very small percentage in the overall spend of the NHS.
“We consider ourselves to be a proud, supportive partner, adding more capacity where it’s required to meet the government’s objectives.”
By relocating outpatient appointments and minor procedures into the new unit, existing operating theatres within the main hospital are now able to focus on more complex elective surgeries, including hip and knee replacements.
Ms Farr added: “It is going to make a phenomenal difference to people.
“We’ll be able to run more clinics over six days a week, improving accessibility for patients and extending opening hours so that more people who work will be able to access services outside of their working day.”
NHS patients can ask their GP for a referral to the hospital, while private patients can book consultations by visiting www.practiceplusgroup.com.
Town councillor Jane Nicklin, who represents the Shepton West ward, said: “It’s fantastic to see that Practice Plus Group Hospital Shepton Mallet have been able to expand their facilities by thinking creatively about how they can increase the space that they work in.
“It is great to see it up and running for the benefit of patients that are local to Shepton Mallet. We are truly pleased that this is happening.”