FURTHER beds could go at Dorset County Hospital as part of a project to create a dedicated ward for cancer in-patients.
Plans are going out for consultation that would also Integrated Assessment Unit but would also see a reduction of 22 beds across the hospital.
The proposals come as the second phase of a savings project implemented last year that saw a previous reduction of 38 beds at the Dorchester hospital.
The proposed 14-bedded cancer ward aims to ensure that patients are treated in an appropriate environment with suitably trained staff.
The Integrated Assessment Unit will help ensure emergency patients receive a rapid diagnosis and are prepared for theatre more quickly, leading to swifter treatment and a reduction in the time they have to stay in hospital.
The Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust insists that, despite the reduction in the number of beds, there would be no job losses as a result of the changes proposed although they may mean some staff have to be deployed to other areas.
Staff are currently being consulted about the proposals through a series of meetings with a view to implementing the changes in April.
See Saturday's Echo for the full story
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