Backing for hospital bed cut plan
26th November 2009
Measures to remove 14 beds at a community hospital in Surrey have won the backing of the county council's health scrutiny committee. The committee was "broadly supportive" of NHS Surrey's plans to end in-patient care at Cranleigh Village Hospital at a meeting last week.
NHS Surrey will make a final decision on the plans in January.
But the Save Our Surrey Community Hospitals (SOSCH) campaign group has said more consultation was needed.
Campaign chairman and Elmbridge Borough Councillor Karen Randolph said the county needed more hospital beds.
She said: "Many GPs and therefore patients now effectively have no prospect of being able to access a community hospital bed in the foreseeable future.
"Even prior to the present reductions in beds, it was clear that more, not fewer beds, are needed in community hospitals. "
She called for an immediate suspension of "all impending reductions in inpatient services at community hospitals in Surrey".
'Best care option'
NHS Surrey said the changes were not to save money but to improve services.
Jill King, programme director at NHS Surrey, said the decision was supported by clinical experts.
"This is not about budgets whatsoever, this is about getting the best care for patients," she said.
"Some patients will have to travel further for care, but specialist care means stroke patients get home sooner with less disability. "
Under NHS Surrey's plans, the site would offer outpatient services, clinics and home visits and fund up to eight beds in nursing homes in the area.
Source: BBC News - Surrey