Fury over mental health ward cuts

Nov 17 2006 By Liam Murphy Daily Post Staff

FOUR mental health wards will close as part of cost-cutting measures in Wirral and Cheshire.

Staff and local mental health charities have reacted with fury to the decision which includes the closure of one of the three psychiatric wards at Clatterbridge in Wirral, with the loss of 20 beds.

Wirral and Cheshire NHS Trust confirmed last night that Buckingham Ward in Wirral will close within two weeks, along with further closures at Bowmere Hospital in Chester, Leighton Hospital in Crewe and the Millbrook Unit in Macclesfield.

It has been estimated that up to 100 of around 300 psychiatric beds provided by the Trust could be lost as they move more care into the community, although the Trust said some staff claims had been "inaccurate".

One staff member said they had been shocked by the news after patients had recently been transferred to Cheshire because of a lack of beds in Buckingham Ward at Clatterbridge.

She said: "It's unbelievable. This ward deals with people with severe mental illness, schizophrenia, manic depression and the ward has been taking section 37 inpatients from the prison service.

"It's very distressing for staff, patients and their families.

"At the moment there are no beds in Wirral so where are our patients going to go?"

Those on the secure Buckingham ward were given a commendation by the clinical director earlier this year for the care they provide for "such challenging patients".

Staff are now unsure where they will be redeployed.