Cash crisis deepens for NHS trust

More than 60 beds across the Fylde's hospitals are set to stay closed as an NHS trust grapples with a potential £22 million deficit - reports the Blackpool Citizen.

Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre NHS Trust will reopen Rossall Hospital but close wards at South Shore and Clifton to save £2m, while three other wards will remain closed until autumn at least in the latest proposed reorganisation.

And trust chiefs have also revealed that this year's deficit could be even bigger than had previously been reported because the trust had, in the past, relied on one-off income including land sales to help balance the books.

The wards affected are wards three and four at Clifton Hospital (inpatient rehabilitation) to be relocated to Rossall Hospital; Ward four and five, South Shore Hospital (ortho geriatric) to be relocated to Ward three and Ward four Clifton Hospital; Ward one, South Shore Hospital (nurse led ward) to be relocated to Bispham Hospital Rehabilitation Unit; South Shore Day Hospital to be relocated to Rossall Hospital Rehabilitation Unit.