THE axe is hovering over a hospital ward containing some of the most seriously ill patients in Bromley.

The Avon One ward at Farnborough Hospital is lined up for closure in the next two to three months. It houses clients with severe mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and manic depression.

It is under threat because Oxleas NHS Trust, which manages mental health services in Bromley, is in the red to the tune of £700,000 and needs to save money.

The closure could mean patients being released into the community under the supervision of mental health teams.

Barbara Langridge, a trustee of Beckenham MIND and a member of Bromley Community Health Council, has voiced concerns at the plans.

She said: "The community facilities (for these patients) are not in place. The proposed two-day care hospitals are not in existence yet."

At Bromley Health Authority meeting on March 19, Oxleas chief executive Andrew Casey confirmed that the closure of the ward was on the cards.

He said: "We've concluded that some reductions in services will be necessary.

"As there are no redundancies involved and bed reduction is part of our overall strategy, the option of closing Avon One is the best we have."

Oxleas admitted in a report on their financial problems that closing the ward is risky.

Trust chiefs weighed other cost-cutting measures, including redesigning Avon One, and closing day activity centres.

The trust will now consult interested parties on its closure plan.

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