PATIENTS suffering acute psychiatric conditions in south Cumbria are to be offered care at home after health bosses announced the closure of a secure inpatient ward.

The 12-bed Kentmere Unit at Westmorland General Hospital in Kendal will be shut permanently next month following safety concerns. 

Barrow's Dova Unit, at Furness General Hospital, is to offer an additional four beds to help doctors cope with demand leaving an overall loss of eight beds across the area.

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Other patients suffering acute episodes of psychiatric illness - who would have been admitted to a secure ward - will instead be offered care at home.

Leaders within the Cumbria Partnership NHS Trust - the organisation that provides mental health services across the county - say the ward's mixed sex accommodation was the principal reason behind the decision to close the ward.

Inspectors from the government's health watchdog, the Care Quality Commission, highlighted the issue as a risk to patients.

Dr Andy Brittlebank, CPFT medical director, said admissions to the ward were already being minimised.

"Over the last year we have taken a number of steps to improve the privacy and dignity of our patients including putting up divides between the dormitory beds and increasing our staffing levels so that we can ensure patients are escorted for access to outside space. 

"However what is clear is that we have exhausted all actions possible within the current environment and we simply cannot provide single rooms or better access to outside space from the footprint of the Kentmere Unit."

All possible options to improve the dormitory-style unit to make it fit for purpose are said to have been exhausted.

Instead, round-the-clock crisis resolution and home treatment services are to be offered to acute patients 24/7 so they can be supported at home where possible.

Dr Brittlebank added: "We want our patients who are in need of inpatient care to have access to accommodation in line with the rest of our units across the county. 

"All of our other units are provided in single sex environments with single rooms to protect privacy and dignity and have access to outside space. "The facilities at Kentmere do not and cannot meet these minimum standards."

The closure announcement, which came yesterday, has already been sharply criticised by Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Tim Farron.

Mr Farron said funding must be found to pay for upgrades to the ward in a bid to keep it open to people across the area.

"Mental health services are absolutely critical. 

"Local people in vulnerable situations rely on these services, and government cuts cannot be allowed to push this ward into closing."