Residents have hit out at plans to build a stroke rehabilitation unit at the Vale Hospital in Dursley.

The hospital is the preferred location for the new unit, designed to meet national recommendations for stroke rehabilitation, but people are concerned the number of beds left in the hospital will be insufficient.

NHS Gloucestershire’s Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is seeking to address a gap in provision of stroke care in Gloucestershire.

Under the proposals, 14 of the Vale’s 20 beds will be used for stroke rehabilitation.

Geoff Simms, of Ryalls Lane, Cambridge, said: “The six beds left for general community use will surely become ‘unviable’ and we will no longer have a community hospital in Dursley.

“The consultation for this change has been appalling and the people of Dursley and the surrounding communities deserved better.”

Jane Jennings, of Westfield, Dursley, said: “The whole thing has been handled in a deceitful and underhand fashion and the members of the CCG should be ashamed of their behaviour.”

Lesley Cross, of Orchard Leaze, Cam, said: “If the proposal is approved the unit will open in autumn 2018. Either the powers that be are already well on their way to developing this unit despite the lauded consultation or their autumn is very much later than mine!”

Not all residents disagreed with the proposals. Tina Carter, also of Cam, said: “Having a world-class stroke unit is an amazing opportunity for the Vale and a better way to go than the alternative that was being discussed - closing it altogether.”

Gloucestershire County Council’s health and care overview and scrutiny committee met on Tuesday, July 10. The committee supported the plans but raised concerns that transport links were not strong enough for relatives to easily visit the Vale.

A spokesman for NHS Gloucestershire CCG and Gloucestershire Care Services NHS Trust said: “We believe this is an exciting proposal that would improve the quality of specialist stroke rehabilitation.

“We would ensure that sufficient general community hospital beds remain available to meet the needs of local people.”

Public consultation is ongoing. For more information visit gloucestershireccg.nhs.uk/stroke-rehab.