Nine wards to close at Leicester's hospitals
Hospital managers are to close nine wards within the next few months, it has emerged.
It follows news that two wards at Leicester General Hospital are due to merge, probably by the end of the month.
Managers at the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust said it is too early to say which wards will close or when it will happen.
They have denied that moves are all to do with cost cutting.
Julian Auckland-Lewis, deputy director of operations of Leicester's hospitals, said: "As a hospital we adapt to the needs of our patients and we need fewer beds in the summer than in the winter.
"Over the coming months we expect to close around nine wards.
"It is too early to say where they will be but will happen naturally as staff leave or retire."
Staff at the city's three hospitals are being urged to consider taking unpaid leave from a few weeks to a number of years.
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by l, leicester
Friday, March 05 2010, 3:53PM
“uhl is on bed stage 3 at the moment, one more stage and it will be bed crisis. how can you sundenly close all these wards when we struggle to find beds now.”
by Jan, leicester
Friday, March 05 2010, 2:31PM
“Don¿t kid yourself, nothing happens over night in the NHS. All these plans have been in the pipe line for a long time. 9 wards to close will mean patients are sent home or shoved off into care homes before they are fit to leave. More and more patients will bounce back into hospital because of early discharge to free up beds and sadly some will die because of these cut backs. I suggest you shout from the roof tops if a relative suffers below standard care because of this. Believe me, the loader you shout, unfortunately, the better the care you will receive. Please don¿t blame the frontline staff, it¿s not their fault.”
by Jan, leicester
Friday, March 05 2010, 2:12PM
“Here we go again. 9 wards to close. Staff not being replaced when they leave. I was there last time round when they were in a financial mess. The same thing happened then. Staff were not replaced and the staff that was there were messed about so much that many left because they couldn¿t stand the upset of being treated with no respect. Many felt it was a cleaver ploy by management to trim back the work force by making the staff so unhappy they¿d leave. Patient care should be the number one consideration but alas it is way down the list. Good luck front line workers, I fear you are going to need it and don¿t forget to read the small print of all new paper work you are given regarding your new jobs when they start to move you around.”
by Alan, Leics
Friday, March 05 2010, 2:01PM
“Is this beside the one bed they have already removed from each ward and side wards at Glenfield”
by christine wright, skegness
Friday, March 05 2010, 1:38PM
“what a shame the LGH has had to close wards to save money,i trained there and have always been proud of that.
only last month they saved my brothers life.
i wish all the staff are well looked after when they do this closing and not just the fat cats.”