Ward revamped for £1.25m set to close for trial of home care

NHS bosses were under fire yesterday after announcing that two community hospital wards – one recently refurbished at a cost of 1.25m – will be among the first casualties of a “hospital at home” experiment.

The primary care trust – which is looking to axe more beds at both Malton and Whitby community hospitals and transfer staff into the community – announced the “temporary” closure of Ryedale Ward at Malton and Abbey Ward a at Whitby by tomorrow. Ryedale is one of two wards at Malton, the other being Fitzwilliam.

Ryedale, built in the 1970s, was refurbished nine months ago with en-suite rooms, new dining area and improved treatment and therapy facilities following a complete rewiring and replumb.

A 250,000 donation came from the hospital’s League of Friends, while North Yorkshire and York Community and Mental Health Services invested more 1m.

Yesterday Anne McIntosh, MP for Thirsk, Malton and Filey, said: “I wholeheartedly deplore the announcement that Ryedale ward will be closed by the end of the week.

“I regret the process that has been followed and the lack of consultation, which has led to this newly-renovated ward being closed, leaving both patients and clinicians concerned for the future of the hospital.”

Ironically, the closure is timed for the very day Miss McIntosh is to meet Jayne Brown OBE, chief executive of NHS North Yorkshire and York, regarding the future of Ryedale ward and the whole hospital.

Miss McIntosh continued: “With the imminent closure of Ryedale ward, I am now deeply concerned for the future of the whole of Malton Hospital.

“Ryedale ward has been closed without prior consultation of the local health practitioners and I now fear that the whole hospital may suffer the same fate.

“I have written to the strategic health authority stating both my grievances and those of the local community, towards the closing of the newly refurbished ward and the manner in which it has been handled.

“I will set out to the chief executive the vital importance of both the beds that have been lost on Ryedale ward and the whole hospital, in providing a service of care to the local community.”

The trust says five more beds will be closed on Ryedale. The one remaining bed will move to Fitzwilliam bringing the total there to 23 and resulting in the temporary closure of Ryedale and overall closure of 20 beds.

At Whitby, five more beds will be closed on Abbey Ward. The remaining eight beds will be transferred to War Memorial Ward giving a total number of 28 in-patient beds there and resulting in the temporary closure of Abbey and overall closure of 20 beds. The closures will be reviewed in March.

Janet Probert, MD of community and mental health services, said: “We are fully aware of the local concerns about our enhanced community services pilot scheme and we are working with a range of people to allay those concerns.

"This important pilot is part of our wider plan to reduce the number of unnecessary hospital admissions, enable quicker discharge from hospital and establish better follow up care for people who do require a hospital admission.

Dr Vicky Pleydell, a local GP who chairs NHS North Yorkshire and York's Clinical Executive, said: “Evidence shows that patients retain their independence, benefit from quicker rehabilitation and have a reduced risk of infection when treated in their homes.

“At present, some patients have to be admitted to a community hospital because there isn’t the level of clinical support in the community to keep them at home – even though their condition doesn’t require hospital treatment.”