HEALTH chiefs have been fiercely criticised after the shock announcement that they have controversially decided to close 24 Waverley hospital beds.
The Guildford and Waverley Primary Care Trust (PCT) has made the contentious decision to ignore the advice of Surrey County Council's health scrutiny committee (HSC) to delay a decision to close "temporarily" 51 community care beds across Waverley, including the 16 beds in the Elizabeth Ward at Haslemere Community Hospital.
These beds, as well as 10 other beds at Farnham Community Hospital, are to be immediately reopened for another purpose, but 14 beds at Cranleigh and another 10 in Farnham will remain temporarily closed.
At a meeting held earlier this month, the HSC decided that the PCT needed to consult formally on its plans to close the beds temporarily as part of its controversial bid to slash costs, due to a predicted £6.2 million overspend on its annual budget.
After considering the HSC's views, members of the PCT board met last Thursday and reached a unanimous decision to proceed with the temporary axing of the 51 step-down beds, which are used by patients who have been in an acute hospital but are not well enough to go home.
The 27 will reopen immediately as step-up beds for patients who are unwell. The hope is that a short stay in these beds will prevent an admission to an acute hospital.
The remaining 24 beds will remain closed until April 2006, saving £219,000 in this financial year.
The interim chief executive of the PCT Jane Dale said: "The PCT board regrets that it does not have the support of the HSC on this occasion, but remains convinced that it must proceed with its original decision to close these beds as an urgent, temporary measure.
"If the PCT does not take this action, it will be unable to meet its statutory duty to achieve the £10 million financial-control total agreed with the Surrey and Sussex Strategic Health Authority (SHA) and will start the next financial year with a minimum of a £26 million deficit, that is likely to have a greater adverse impact on patient care in the future.
"The SHA has offered non-recurrent support, dependant on the PCT achieving financial balance.
"The PCT fully intends to reopen these beds next April but is aware that any further delay in closure would lead to a reduction in savings generated.
"All staff will be found temporary alternative work during the period of closure and no staff redundancies are being proposed.
"The PCT does not agree with the HSC that it needs to formally consult on this decision as there will be an opportunity for formal public discussion on December 1 on the future of the community hospitals and service developments.
"This consultation will conclude before the planned reopening of those beds closed on a temporary basis," Jane Dale added.
The HSC, an independent watchdog set up to represent the health interests of the community, is surprised by the PCT's decision.
A spokesman said: "The HSC is shocked at the announcement made by the PCT that it intends to go ahead and close the beds, ignoring the HSC's judgement that its proposed changes required formal consultation.
"The HSC is now actively considering its position and has already initiated discussions with the Independent Reconfiguration Panel."
The HSC's shock and dismay is shared by county councillor David Munro.
"It's just not on and I am appalled by this news," he said. "There's a proper process and who are the PCT to overturn it?
"The debate at the HSC was a very reasoned and analytical one and it was based on facts that took the emotion out of the issue. It became clear during the debate that the closure of the beds would have an adverse effect.
"From a Surrey point of view, I am particularly worried about the provision of social care for those in the community who are unable to use the beds. I also think that the PCT needs to be wary that the enormous amount of sympathy that has been shown to it about its difficulties is not overturned," he added.
Local MP Jeremy Hunt is also angry about the bed closures and has written an urgent letter to the Secretary of State for Health, Patricia Hewitt.
In the letter, he has requested an urgent meeting with the health secretary to discuss the serious situation that the community of Waverley now faces.
"I am deeply concerned about the seemingly rash decision by the PCT," he said.
"It worries me that this may affect patient welfare, especially as we are now coming into the winter months; that generally has an effect on the most vulnerable in our community.
"We all understand and sympathise with the pressures that the PCT is under from the government. However, I feel that it is extremely wrong for it to put patient care at risk," said the MP.