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NHS Trust Defends Elderly Ward Closure Amid Savings Push
24 Apr
Summary
- Ward 23, specializing in dementia care, was closed last year.
- The trust needed to make £32.8m in savings to implement the closure.
- Emergency department wait times have decreased significantly since the closure.
Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust has defended the closure of Ward 23 at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, a ward that previously specialized in dementia care for elderly patients. The trust shut the ward last year as part of a strategic shift to increase community-based treatment and address financial pressures.
The closure occurred as the trust aimed to achieve £32.8m in savings, coinciding with a national 10-year NHS plan promoting shorter hospital stays. Officials stated that care for older individuals has been strengthened through expanded community support and improved patient flow within the hospital.
Performance data released by the trust for the period between 2024 and 2026 indicates positive outcomes. Treatment within four hours in the emergency department rose from 70.95% to 74.41%. Crucially, the number of patients experiencing waits exceeding 12 hours nearly halved, dropping from 3,406 to 1,781.
Despite these reported improvements, critics, including the campaign group Keep Our NHS Public, have voiced concerns. They called for a reversal of the closure, citing inadequate consultation and warning that community-based services may not adequately replace the specialized care previously offered on the ward, leading to a loss of 24 hospital beds.
