A WARD at Rugby’s hospital is to be closed – with NHS bosses insisting patients from the town won’t be affected.
Hoskyn Ward at St Cross Hospital will close on December 4.
The decision has been met with widespread opposition from town residents and hospital staff on local social media channels.
But University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) NHS Trust says access to medical inpatient beds at the hospital will remain the same for Rugby and Warwickshire patients.
The Trust says the 25-bed ward, which specialises in gerontology – the study of aging – is being closed because patients from Coventry are no longer being sent there for treatment.
A spokesperson said: “Following the introduction of a pathway for Coventry patients that avoids the need for them to transfer to Rugby, the Trust has seen a significant reduction in the demand for transfers to St Cross.
“It is important to note that access to medical inpatient beds will remain the same for Rugby and Warwickshire patients at St Cross.
“For Coventry people, it will mean the end of lengthy admissions in Rugby. The decision is designed to support people to be more independent closer to home, utilising care from community teams.”
The Trust’s chief executive Professor Andy Hardy added: “This planned change does not mean less access to medical beds for Rugby and Warwickshire patients – we remain fully committed to offering more services and investing into the future of the Hospital of St Cross.
“Our Improving Lives programme is helping us to identify patients who could avoid hospital admission and be better supported through community services.”
Rugby MP John Slinger said he had raised residents’ concerns with the Trust.
He said: “The Trust has reassured me this decision relates entirely to patients from Coventry who are sent to St Cross. At present, many of the patients on medical wards at St Cross are Coventry residents.
“The Trust has developed a new model that enables patients from Coventry to go home earlier with the correct care packages in place. This means that far fewer Coventry patients need to come to St Cross and therefore that Hoskyn Ward can be closed.
“There remains sufficient capacity on the remaining wards for medical beds for patients from Rugby.”
He said the Trust told him it was developing plans for a similar care package for Rugby residents.
He added: “I will not hesitate to raise concerns with management, other health organisations, and ultimately, with government ministers should I think it necessary to protect services at St Cross.
“I will continue to advocate for additional services at St Cross, and I continue to raise with the Trust the need for doctor-led urgent care at the site.”
