Children's ward to close in Walsall

Two children's wards at Walsall Manor Hospital are to close and 19 jobs axed, the Express & Star can reveal.

A total of 13 beds will be lost as part of the major overhaul of paediatric services, which health chiefs say will increase efficiency.

Both Canterbury and Christopher Robin wards will both by shut by the end of this month, with all child patients moved to the Salisbury and Swan wards, meaning most paediatric treatment will be centralised in the hospital's east wing as part of the new arrangements.

The existing 40 beds available will be reduced to 27, but bosses at the hospital have claimed research had shown they did not need any more and that extra emergency beds could be used if necessary.

They also added compulsory redundancies were a last resort and of the 19 posts for trained medical staff being cut, five people had left or were in the process of leaving and another five had been moved to the neo-natal unit.

Hospital chiefs said they were confident the remaining workers could be redeployed to other wards.

The re-organisation of paediatrics will also involve a new three-man team of nurses to pay visits to recently discharged youngsters and three new consultants.

Chief executive at the Moat Road hospital, Sue James, said the changes would mean first class care for Walsall children and their families.

She said: "As this service is the first to transfer to the new £170 million building, it is vital we create more efficient ways of working now, to match up to the new and improved facilities."

"Previously we had more children's beds than we needed and bringing services that were originally across two separate buildings under the one roof now addresses this situation.

"Families will not need to go to hospitals outside the borough and I would like to reassure them these changes do not mean a reduction in services."

But Councillor Peter Smith said: "Are we really saying that with 242,000 people living in Walsall, 27 children's beds is enough?

"One of my biggest concerns is this will mean we have to send Walsall children to hospitals outside the borough, because we no longer have room for them."