Ward closures to cut costs

10:33am Tuesday 28th March 2006

HOSPITAL bosses have named the three wards which will close as part of a cost-cutting exercise.

Lewisham Hospital is to close the trio of wards in the next three months, meaning the loss of 55 beds.

But Lewisham has avoided having to make the major surgery needed at nearby Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woolwich, where up to 100 jobs are set to go.

The hospital, in Lewisham High Street, has previously stated it would close three wards and cut 25 jobs.

The savings are needed to wipe out its financial deficit, which is estimated to stand at around £7m.

In its annual strategic review published last week the hospital names the wards which are to close.

These are the 20-bed medical ward E5, the 18-bed medical Henry Woodward ward and surgical ward A2, which has 17 beds.

The 25 redundancies will come mainly from administrative posts rather than affecting front-line services.

In a joint statement released in conjunction with staff trade unions, Lewisham Hospital NHS Trust says the moves are "necessary" to improve its financial position.

The statement says: "We have been taking hard but necessary actions to make our organisation more efficient.

"The improvements we have already made allow us to close these wards without reducing the quality or access to care for patients."

The cuts at Lewisham are not as drastic as those at Queen Elizabeth, where the hospital is looking to save £10m in the next year.

This will see the debt-ridden hospital cut around 100 jobs and close a children's day centre.

Lewisham Patient and Public Involvement Forum chairman Alan Hall hopes the bed losses will improve efficiency.

He said: "The bottom line is we need to make sure the hospital offers quality patient care."