NHS defends move to cut 315 hospital beds

Sep 5 2007 by Liza Williams, Liverpool Daily Post

HOSPITAL executives yesterday reassured patients the quality of medical care would not be damaged by the loss of the equivalent of 13 wards in Liverpool city centre.

Patients raised concerns about the loss of up to 315 beds at the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen Hospitals as part of a £400m blueprint to build a completely new city hospital for 2014.

The trust has defended the move, saying the changes are part of a long- term strategy to provide more healthcare in the community.

At the hospital’s annual public meeting yesterday Maggie Andrews, chairman of the Royal’s Patient and Public Involvement Forum (PPI) asked for confirmation the trust would create another 168 beds elsewhere to offset those cut.

“Our forum is very anxious about the changes and the number of bed cuts,” she said.

“The difference between the number of beds now and in 2014 is 315 – that means 13 wards. That is a large number of beds to cut in one fell swoop.”

But Helen Jackson, project director for the Royal, said: “It is not going to be a one fell swoop reduction in the number of beds, the number will decline over the years to the opening of the new hospital.”

Talib Yaseen, acting chief executive at the hospital, added: “We are working across primary care and community care with the local authority – the picture today is different. It is not about cuts, it is about doing things differently.”

An outline planning application for the new hospital will be submitted this autumn.