9:20am Friday 27th August 2010
By Lawrence Dunhill
A DAY surgery ward at Wycombe Hospital has been closed, as health bosses consult on a shake-up of staff and beds.
The closure of ward 8 looks set to have knock-on effects for at least two other wards in the hospital's Treatment Centre.
Under the plans, set to be implemented by the end of September, most day cases will be sent to 12a, another surgery ward.
Buckinghamshire Hospitals NHS Trust said the closure of ward 8 was due to less beds being needed, but said no redundancies were planned.
Consultation documents seen by the Bucks Free Press show the move will also affect the hospital's urology cancer unit - a specialist unit also located in the Treatment Centre.
All colorectal and vascular patients, currently assigned to ward 12a, will be relocated to urology, according to the documents.
This has led to some fears among staff that more pressure will be placed on the urology ward, the Bucks Free Press understands.
This follows news last week that health bosses are consulting on plans to merge 4a and 4b, two wards for older people, at the Queen Alexandra Road hospital (see link below).
Trust spokesman Lisa Perry initially said the urology unit would see “no change” as a result of the shake-up, but later conceded it “may also include some colorectal and vascular surgery inpatients”.
She said: “The unit will continue to provide cancer care by specialist cancer nurses and will also treat surgical inpatients. We are proud of our urology unit and will continue to develop this service. Any departmental accreditation will be unaffected.”
She said the trust is now able to offer more rehabilitation services and 'step-down' facilities in community hospitals such as in Marlow.
“This has allowed us to refocus what happens within our acute wards,” she added. “As a result, there is less need for as many hospital beds in our surgical wards and it is important we make the best use of the space we have available.
“There are no proposed redundancies associated with this development and patient care will not be affected in any way.”
The consultation document says some staff may be redeployed in the shake-up.
It reads: “Whilst it is envisaged to maintain the employment of staff within the Treatment Centre, redeployment to either an alternative site or division may be necessary.”
It also states that ward 8, the now closed day surgery ward, is “part of the older estate of the trust and currently does not provide the required standard of accommodation”.
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