STROUD General Hospital is to be run by a social enterprise as of October.

Following last week's article about plans which could see a new community hospital built in Stroud to house NHS services, several readers called the SNJ claiming the hospital was being 'privatised'.

NHS managers have explained that this is not the case but it is to be run by a social enterprise called Gloucestershire Care Services Community Interest Company (CIC).

Patients will continue to be able to access NHS-funded community health care at the hospital but the services will be run by CIC which will continue to work alongside staff at the hospital.

It will provide a range of health services such as community nursing, therapy and hospital services.

Although it is an independent business, as a social enterprise it must reinvest profits back into services.

CIC said that NHS patients will continue to access the full range of NHS-funded community health services currently available and that it would be responsible for delivering 'NHS values'.

It is estimated that there are more than 6,000 social enterprises delivering health and social care within the NHS.

Penny Harris, chief executive designate of CIC, said: "I would like to reassure local people that NHS patients will continue to access NHS-funded community health services at Stroud General Hospital and CIC as a social enterprise will be responsible for continuing to deliver those services locally.

"Our staff are committed to providing the highest quality of care to local people and CIC will be developing links with the Stroud community "We wish to involve the community and our staff in the work we do and will be arranging meetings in the autumn to provide them with the opportunity to discuss with us the work we do and how to become involved."

As the primary care trust for the county, NHS Gloucestershire will retain ownership of the hospital with CIC taking on responsibility for running services.