Hospital hit by cuts 'will stay open'

NHS bosses have assured residents that a hospital that covers a vast area of rural North Yorkshire will stay open – but more patients may have to be treated at home because of cutbacks.

By The Newsroom

Published 29th Sep 2010, 13:35 BST

Updated 29th Sep 2010, 22:24 BST

Patient watchdogs called a public meeting to discuss the future of Malton Hospital after the number of beds at Ryedale Ward – recently refurbished at a cost of 1m – was reduced from 16 to five.

Simon Cox, Primary Care Trust director for the Ryedale, Scarborough and Whitby area, told residents that while running community hospitals such as Malton was not cheap, the trust was committed to its operation.

The hospital’s main roles in the future would be to deal with urgent minor cases, rehabilitation and palliative care, provide outpatient facilities, and carry out minor and diagnostic surgery, he added.

The meeting heard that because of a cash-shortage, the hospital had nine staff vacancies in its two main wards and more people in the district were being cared for in their own homes by NHS staff because of the budget cuts.

Mr Cox added: “There are no plans to close the hospital – but the shape of services will change.