Yewdale Ward to close after Cumbria NHS bosses approve plan
A report by CNTW said the fact the ward was mixed-sex posed "sexual safety" concerns, that the trust had struggled for years to recruit psychiatric consultants and that the building was deteriorating.Officials added the ward was "isolated" on a site that lacked other mental health facilities and was costing more to run than the trust could afford.The report said 12 new beds would be provided at Carlisle's Carleton Clinic and a further four would open at the planned new Hope Haven centre in Whitehaven.
The trust said it was trying to provide more effective "early intervention" to reduce demand for inpatient wards.In a Facebook post, Mr MacAlister said he supported efforts to reduce the need for acute services, but felt the move to close the facility should be put on hold.He said the trust should "lay out a detailed plan for how their proposed new service model will reduce demand for acute inpatient beds" and show that it has worked before considering the future of Yewdale Ward.
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