Whitchurch's Community Hospital will remain as a hub for people having bloods taken, despite the main service returning to the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust (SaTH).

The hospital, in Claypit Street, hosted blood taking services for SaTH while its two main hospitals – Royal Shrewsbury and Princess Royal in Telford – were treating patients with Covid-19.

But the two hospitals saw services return to their buildings from yesterday (Tuesday) on an appointment-only basis, at Elizabeth House, in Shrewsbury and Mallings Health Building in Telford.

However, health bosses have decided to keep services in Whitchurch – also on an appointment-only basis – in order to create further capacity across the county, with Bridgnorth Community Hospital also taking patients.

A SaTH spokesman said: "During the pandemic some GP practices have provided a blood-taking service for their own patients.

"Over the next month, these practices will gradually reduce the number of patients that have their bloods taken in the practice.

"Practices that provided a blood-taking service before the pandemic will continue to do this (these are generally the rural practices in Shropshire).

"Appointments for patients requiring a blood test, who have been referred by their GP or consultant, will be by appointment only.

"Patients are advised to only attend at their appointment time and asked to wait in their car, or standing outside, if they arrive early.

"This will help ensure social distancing measures can be followed. Clinics will no longer be providing a walk-in service for patients."

The clinic at Whitchurch Community Hospital will run from Monday to Friday, from 9am until 4pm.

A spokesman added that patients will be able to book an appointment that best suits their circumstances through a hotline.

But added: "Please be aware that SaTH and Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust are currently restricting patient and visitor access and would ask that, where possible, patients attend for their appointment unaccompanied.

"Where this is not possible only one person should attend with the patient.

“For those patients who were previously shielding and being provided with a home visiting service from Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust, the appointment-only blood-taking service with the social distancing measures in place will be safe.

"We recognise that patients may be anxious about relaxing some restrictions after more than three months of shielding, and if you have any specific concerns or need advice please speak to your GP or consultant."