Nurses angry at decision to close ward at Clatterbridge Hospital

Nov 17 2010 by Liza Williams, Birkenhead News

A WARD is set to close at Clatterbridge hospital.

Nursing staff have raised concerns about the move, which they said would impact on patient care.

But hospital chiefs have said the beds on the M2 surgery and urology ward were “under-occupied”, because more patients were now treated as day cases.

It is thought 20 jobs will be cut, but a hospital spokeswoman said compulsory redundancies would be avoided.

A reduction of 10 beds is also planned for M1 ward at the site.

The step has been put forward to help Wirral University Hospitals Trust, which runs Clatterbridge and Arrowe Park, save Government targets of £14.3m this year.

Staff who asked to remain anonymous said “We cannot do anything other than object and voice our concerns about patient care.

“There are so many ways to cut costs without reducing the services provided but that would mean cutting the numbers of highest paid in the Trust, most of which earn four to five times the wages of one nurse.

“This needs to be heard not just for the jobs of those that work there but for the future.”