Geriatric and mental health wards threatened by NHS cuts
David Cameron faces a growing backlash against NHS cuts and the closure of A&E departments as it emerges that specialist dementia, mental health and geriatric wards are also under threat.
The Telegraph revealed that 10
per cent of A&E departments have either recently closed or could be shut or
downgraded under existing plans Photo:
Alamy
7:30AM BST 08 Oct 2012
More than 140 senior doctors attacked the policy in an open letter to Mr
Cameron this weekend, claiming that the spate of A&E closures would put the
lives of vulnerable people at risk.
The experts spoke out after the Telegraph revealed that 10 per cent of
A&E departments have either recently closed or could be shut or downgraded
under existing plans, along with 18 maternity and 11 paediatric wards.
Now this newspaper has found further evidence of recent or planned closures
which will hit several other key areas of care across England's 300 acute
hospitals.
Mental health wards are being closed or significantly cut back at eight
hospitals, while four units specialising in care for elderly patients have
fallen victim to the cuts.
Services catering for elderly and disabled patients at Wexham Park Hospital
in Slough and Heatherwood Hospital in Ascot, are being relocated to Prospect
Park hospital in Reading in one example of the move.
Two dementia wards and others catering for patients with diabetes, stroke
victims and people with heart problems were also among services being slashed at
hospitals aross the country.
It comes as official figures from the Office for National Statistics show that 43 hospital patients starved to death and 111 died of thirst on NHS wards last year.
The figures, which raise new questions about the quality of care in hospital wards, reveal that a further 287 patients were malnourished at the time of their death, and 558 were very dehydrated.
A similar situation was occurring at care homes last year, where eight people died from a lack of food last year and 21 from thirst.
Patients in hospitals and care homes also died with a variety of avoidable conditions including bed sores, skin ulcers and septicaemia, which normally occurs in people with infected wounds.
Michelle Mitchell of Age UK described the figures as "deeply distressing" and said hospital and care home staff must be trained to spot the warning signs of malnutrition.
The spate of hospital ward closures is part of an attempt to reduce department numbers in favour of creating fewer, better-staffed units at larger hospitals, with the aim of cutting costs and improving night and weekend care.
But in their open letter this weekend 140 leading doctors, including Prof Sir David Weatherall, a former Regius Professor of Medicine at Oxford University, and Peter Fisher, president of the NHS Consultants' Association, said there was nothing to suggest the changes would benefit patients.
They told the Prime Minister: "We are not against change. But such change must be driven by genuine improvements in clinical care and service efficiency rather than as part of an indiscriminate cuts policy.
"We urge you to take seriously the concerns of the many professionals and patients over the serious risk these A&E reforms pose to people's health."
A spokeswoman for the Department of Health said: "Caring for older people is a priority for this Government, as has been shown by the increased funding that has been provided to improve services.
"Any changes to services should have the interests of local people at their heart and must involve local healthcare organisations, doctors, nurses and other health professionals."
Katherine Murphy, chief executive of the Patients Association, said: “Before they even talk about remodelling health services, they have to commit to investing. Huge investment is needed.
“At a time we know that money’s tight, is that funding actually going to arrive? We’ve got to be honest about this, and have an open debate."
It comes as official figures from the Office for National Statistics show that 43 hospital patients starved to death and 111 died of thirst on NHS wards last year.
The figures, which raise new questions about the quality of care in hospital wards, reveal that a further 287 patients were malnourished at the time of their death, and 558 were very dehydrated.
A similar situation was occurring at care homes last year, where eight people died from a lack of food last year and 21 from thirst.
Patients in hospitals and care homes also died with a variety of avoidable conditions including bed sores, skin ulcers and septicaemia, which normally occurs in people with infected wounds.
Michelle Mitchell of Age UK described the figures as "deeply distressing" and said hospital and care home staff must be trained to spot the warning signs of malnutrition.
The spate of hospital ward closures is part of an attempt to reduce department numbers in favour of creating fewer, better-staffed units at larger hospitals, with the aim of cutting costs and improving night and weekend care.
But in their open letter this weekend 140 leading doctors, including Prof Sir David Weatherall, a former Regius Professor of Medicine at Oxford University, and Peter Fisher, president of the NHS Consultants' Association, said there was nothing to suggest the changes would benefit patients.
They told the Prime Minister: "We are not against change. But such change must be driven by genuine improvements in clinical care and service efficiency rather than as part of an indiscriminate cuts policy.
"We urge you to take seriously the concerns of the many professionals and patients over the serious risk these A&E reforms pose to people's health."
A spokeswoman for the Department of Health said: "Caring for older people is a priority for this Government, as has been shown by the increased funding that has been provided to improve services.
"Any changes to services should have the interests of local people at their heart and must involve local healthcare organisations, doctors, nurses and other health professionals."
Katherine Murphy, chief executive of the Patients Association, said: “Before they even talk about remodelling health services, they have to commit to investing. Huge investment is needed.
“At a time we know that money’s tight, is that funding actually going to arrive? We’ve got to be honest about this, and have an open debate."
