Wards opened in 2023 'wound down and under review'

A Plymouth hospital ward which opened in June 2023 is being wound down and another is under review, the NHS has confirmed.

The wards, which opened at Mount Gould Hospital with £5m from NHS England, are part of a discharge assessment unit for patients from Derriford Hospital.

University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust said the 40-bed unit had been a "huge success" but more patients were going straight home from Derriford.

The trust said that was what patients wanted "with the right support".

A trust spokesperson said: "We are so proud of the service that our amazing staff have provided.

"However, we have been working with our partners and are assured that there is enough capacity for patients to go directly home and/or receive the care in the right place."

The hospital said the number of patients going straight home from Derriford with a care package has increased from 23% in January 2023 to 47% in January 2024.

"As a result of this, we have already de-escalated one ward as the capacity in the community has improved and we are now reviewing the need for the second ward," said the spokesperson.

The move was being discussed with staff.

"Our aim is for 75% of our patients to go home first with the right support, which is what patients also tell us they want," said the trust.

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