A Middlesbrough hospital is to close in a bid to improve health services for the elderly and vulnerable.
Carter Bequest Hospital, in Linthorpe, will close, with its services “transferred within the community” by April next year.
The decision, made by the governing body of NHS South Tees Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), came despite public concerns more hospital beds are needed, not less.
It will also see the partial closure of Guisborough Primary Care Hospital.
The changes form part of the CCG’s IMProVE programme - Integrated Management and Pro-active Care for the Vulnerable and Elderly - and follow a public consultation which took place between April and July.
Dr Henry Waters, chairman of NHS South Tees CCG, said, “Approval of the IMProVE recommendations by the Governing Body will allow work to begin on the changes to services.
“The clinically-led view is that these changes are in the best interests of the South Tees population.
“This is an exciting time and a phased approach has been agreed in order to ensure that quality of care is not compromised.”
In July, Dr Waters said 40 beds at Carter Bequest were not used last year, meaning £2m was spent on “unnecessary beds.”
However, Tom Blenkinsop, Labour MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, blasted the closure of the two minor injury services in East Cleveland and Guisborough Primary Care Hospitals, which form part of the plans, aimed at providing more care in a community rather than hospital setting.
Mr Blenkinsop said the community was witnessing the “quiet run down of Guisborough Hospital”.
“We are losing minor injury unit services whilst also losing the walk-in centre in Skelton, the medical centre at Park End and potentially another in Hemlington,” he said.
“It doesn’t look like there’s a local plan, just decisions made in response to budgetary measures as opposed to clinical need.”
Other plans approved as part of the IMProVE programme include:
The closure of Guisborough’s main building and removal of beds, subject to improved community health services infrastructure, by April 2016.
The Chaloner Building will be redeveloped to house transferred services and additional community services.
Stroke services being centralised at Redcar Primary Care Hospital.
Minor injury services being “consolidated and enhanced” at Redcar Primary Care Hospital by April next year, with a pilot weekend district nursing clinic developed within East Cleveland Hospital, to commence by April 2015.
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