Hospital wards marked for closure

Wards at Arrowe Park and Clatterbridge will close

Two Wirral hospital wards are to close in an attempt by the NHS trust to save £21.5m over the next five years.

A general ward at Arrowe Park Hospital and an elderly care ward at Clatterbridge are set to close.

Plans also include switching two other elderly care wards from Clatterbridge to Arrowe Park, to create a single care unit for older people.

Wirral Hospital NHS Trust said changes were in line with national plans to treat more people in the community.

The ward changes will not be introduced until February 2007 at the earliest.

The trust said staff affected by the moves will be offered alternative positions.

Len Richards, chief executive, said: "Our guiding principles throughout the reconfiguration of these services is that neither the quality of patient care will be adversely affected, nor will any members of staff lose their jobs.

"For that reason we are working towards closing the affected wards to new admissions over the coming months. New patients will be cared for on other wards in the trust which specialise in their conditions."