Shock greeted the news that Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service (HWFRS) had served an enforcement notice on Mercia Healthcare and Wye Valley NHS Trust requiring remedial works to be carried out at the County Hospital.

The work is necessary to ensure that the hopital meets fire safety regulations. These remedial works will be undertaken by Mercia Healthcare and will be monitored by the Trust.

A spokesman for the Trust said that the Trust contacted HWFRS after it identified a number of issues at the County Hospital that needed to be improved to help prevent the spread of fire in the building which is maintained by Mercia Healthcare.

The interim measures implemented to date include updated training and fire safety protocols and these measures will stay in place until the remedial works have been completed.

For more stories in full see this week's Ross Gazette.