A JOINT bid has been launched to quash rumours Stourport's Lucy Baldwin Hospital will be permanently closed rather than redeveloped.

Patient representative Sarah Wall, director of clinical services Colin Vines and ward manager Patrick Dwyer have issued a statement outlining plans for the mental health facility.

Both patients and their relatives had claimed Worcestershire Mental Health NHS Trust was £1.7 million in debt and intended to close the day hospital, the 18 beds for people over 65 and the six adult rehabilitation beds.

However, the statement said: "The trust is committed to redeveloping the Lucy Baldwin Hospital site for the on-going care of older people with mental health problems in Wyre Forest."

The new 22-bed facility will include a day hospital and a base for the NHS community team as well as a private nursing home with up to 60 beds.

A "development team" - including representatives from the hospital, the relatives group and patient watchdog Kidderminster and District Community Health Council - will be set up to "agree the format and content of the new service".

And district MP Dr Richard Taylor will chair a meeting on Monday, July 21 when staff, patients and relatives will be able to put questions to trust executives.

The statement explained the trust aimed to save £1.7 million this financial year but added the temporary closure of Lucy Baldwin will "realise Wyre Forest's contribution to the savings plan of £300,000".

All services will have to be transferred for about two years and the declaration pledged the day hospital will be "moved to temporary accommodation within Wyre Forest during the early part of 2004".

Some 13 beds will be transferred to Bromsgrove or within the district, with five being lost, while arrangements for the rehabilitation patients are still to be finalised.

But the document stated: "No families will be expected to discharge their relatives home or be expected to find their own placements on the transfer of the facility."

It went on to say "the trust guarantees that there will be no redundancies" among the 46 employees.

And it added: "All staff are guaranteed to have the option to return to the newly built Lucy Baldwin Hospital."