A FINAL decision to axe all mental health beds at the Hughes Unit in Bridport has been taken, a pressure group claims.
Members of the HUGS group say they have seen documents revealing that the seven beds, along with those at the Yeatman Ward in Sherborne, will go and will not be available for either mental health or drug rehabilitation patients.
A HUGS spokesman said the group had seen evidence that the decision had been made – meaning that Dorset would lose almost one third of its in-patient beds.
He said: “The strategy being used by the NHS is to consult on care in the community only and to ignore bed loss.
“All our worst fears of policy making by the back door are confirmed.
“The Hughes Unit has the highest percentage occupancy, and the highest need of patients per bed, of any unit in Dorset, Bournemouth and Poole.
“These facts are based on NHS statistics acquired through the Freedom of Information Act.”
Members of HUGS say that they want recognition of mental health needs.
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