HEALTH bosses are considering expanding services at a specialist unit for the elderly after a public outcry over its possible closure.
Earlier this month the Guardian revealed that Whipps Cross Hospital NHS Trust was reviewing the future of Connaught Day Hospital centre.
It has now emerged that two main proposals are being considered.
One is to close the popular centre and spread services throughout the hospital’s Leytonstone site. But the alternative is to increase referrals to the centre and promote its services to ensure it is better used.
The unit provides specialist rehabilitation and outpatient support for pensioners, such as physiotherapy for those injured in falls.
The trust say it is under-used but could prove cost-effective if more patients use its services.
Ena Abrahams, 87, of Morgan Avenue in Walthamstow, receives treatment at the unit every fortnight and has been leading the campaign against its closure.
She said: "If they do decide to expand services it will be welcome. It could become a centre of excellence and even be used to help provide training.
"But Connaught is still in peril until they make up their minds. It would be totally inappropriate to disperse the services, and it would be difficult for those with mobility problems.
"The importance of the centre is that it provides a holistic service, it's about the whole patient and everything is provided under one roof.
"I believe the hospital bosses were trying to sneak this through but have been taken aback by the public reaction after it was exposed in the Guardian."
In a statement today, the hospital's acting chief executive Cathy Geddes insisted no decision had been made but acknowledged the high level of public concern.
She added: "We will not be closing the services which we currently run within the Connaught Day Hospital.
They provide valuable and important care and support, and we are committed to continuing to run them.
"However, we also need to make the maximum use of our resources, including our premises.”
Campaigners will protest tonight (Thursday April 28) outside the hospital entrance to urge the trust not to close the building down.
It will take place outside the main entrance in Whipps Cross Road at 5pm.
A decision on its future is expected sometime next month.
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