Local News Friday 17th February

Friday, 17 February 2023 06:00

A dental practice in Chard is to close. Council taxpayers in Somerset will be paying more to run the fire service from April. A Yeovil business says low labour costs are one reason why it’s stayed loyal to Yeovil for more than 50 years. Yeovil Hospital is piloting a scheme to help speed up the discharge of patients. Young people with special educational needs are helping to run a new café in Ilminster...and more.

A dental practice in Chard is to close at the end of March. Mydentist in Fore Street says it’s due to a lack of staff. The closure comes soon after the Springmead GP Surgery in Chard announced that it would be closing on the 24th of February. Mydentist patients are being offered appointments at Ariel Healthcare in Chard. Patients with appointments up to 31st March should attend as usual.

A Yeovil business says low labour costs are one reason why it’s stayed loyal to Yeovil for more than 50 years. Talon on the Lynx Trading Estate make parts for motorbikes and competes for orders against producers in China. Owner, Rod McDonaugh, says with labour costs relatively low in Yeovil, he’s able to remain competitive with his prices on world markets.

Council taxpayers in Somerset will be paying more to run the fire service from April. A 5-percent increase in the fire service percept has been approved by councillors. Devon and Somerset Fire Service says without the increase it would have been short by three million pounds over the next 12-months.

Yeovil Hospital is piloting a scheme to help speed up the discharge of patients. A ‘Ready to Go’ unit has been set up to check patients’ physical and mental fitness for being allowed to return home. Similar units are now being introduced in local community hospitals with the aim of freeing up much-needed hospital beds.

Young people with special educational needs are helping to run a new café in Ilminster. The Gamesmaster Café serves food and drinks and offers customers the chance to play board games.

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