YOUR SAY: Should wards close and beds be lost at the Cavendish Hospital?

The proposals, which have been put forward by ‘21C’ - a new partnership between the NHS, Derbyshire County Council and the voluntary sector - aim to reduce the need for hospital treatment by caring for older people in their own homes.

We took to the streets to find out your views on the matter.

Oliver Pugh, from Buxton said: “Everyone has a physical health and everyone has a mental health.

“If you break your leg you go to the hospital, but what do you do if you it is your mind which needs help, you should still go to hospital.

“There is a lot of stigma attached to mental health problems and by taking away the hospital service I think that stigma will continue.

“I can’t even believe we are talking about this - the wards should of course stay.”
The loss of the mental health beds would bring about a closure of the Spencer Ward and eight beds on the Fenton Ward would change into specialist community rehabilitation beds and the other eight would be lost as care will be delivered at home.

Abby Beckett-Smith, 57, from Bakewell, said: “We do need care a hospitals and people’s mental health is important.

“Care needs to be given in the best possible way for the patient.

“I know there was talk of taking equipment that links up with hospital computers into people’s homes so maybe that will work

“As long as the safety of the patient is at the forefront of people’s minds that’s all that matters.”

Cavendish Hospital as a whole is not being reviewed as part of the consultation, and the proposals outlined for Cavendish as part of Better Care Closer to Home will not impact on Buxton Hospital or its Minor Injuries Unit.

Lauren Bonsall, 24, from Buxton, said: “I haven’t had any dealings with the ward but I know what good things it does and I think it should stay open.

“When people are in hospital they have round the clock care, what happens if something were to happen to a patient when they were at home.”

Anne Cocker is 86 from Buxton and her husband has Alzheimer’s.

She said: “Its upsetting we don’t have a full hospital in Buxton, but if you start closing down more services it’s just wrong.

“My husband nearly went into the Spencer Ward so I know how important it is and I really hope it stays open.”
Debbie Hall, 44, from Buxton said: “It is atrocious that this is even being discussed. If the wards shut it will impact so much on local people. My father-in-law was in the Fenton Ward after a severe case of pneumonia and it really improved his recovery without it he would have really struggled to get better.”

A Facebook page, ‘Save Cavendish Hospital Wards’, has been set up to encourage people to voice their concerns over the plan for the Manchester Road hospital.

Emily Jennings, 17 from Chapel said: “There are health benefits from independent living and being in your own home, but I think closing the much needed and much used wards is a bad idea.”