PATIENTS could be turned away from hospitals if a Government cash freeze leads to the closure of beds, a health chief warned today.

Burnley Health Trust has been told the £1 million it received last year to deal with high demand in the winter months, has not been renewed by the Health Secretary for the coming year.

And that could mean medical, surgical and high dependency beds set up with the extra money could be scrapped.

Other improvements such as more staff in the accident and emergency unit, extra therapy for patients and more nursing care, could also go, trust directors were warned.

Members heard that the Government may come up with some extra winter pressure cash later in the year but trust chairman Brian Foster told the Board: "I am worried that if we have to take some of these improvements out, it will impact on the service we are giving. "We will be back into the position of shipping people from one hospital to another trying to find a bed for them."

Mr Foster said the whole North West region was in a similar position to Burnley because of the Government's decision not to make the extra help recurring on an annual basis.

He said it would be particularly difficult if the trust was forced to close down services only to find the money was forthcoming later.

Finance director David Meakin said the trust hard fought very hard to make the winter pressure cash recurring and it was disappointing the bid had not been allowed - it would have enabled the trust to plan things better and carry out advance work.

"I think there will be more money to come but I do not know when or whether it will meet our expectations."

The meeting heard the trust faces its most difficult financial year from April 1, having to achieve £800,000 efficiency savings and to close a £900,000 budget gap.

Mr Meakin told directors the trust was set to meet all its financial targets for the year ending March 31.

Mr Foster said the coming year was the first ever year the trust was starting the 12 month period with a deficit budget.

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