A YORK hospital unit for people recovering from serious illness is being closed, with the NHS saying it will care for people at home instead.

Archways in Clarendon Court, between Haxby Road and Wigginton Road, cares for 350 people a year to prevent patients being admitted to York Hospital or to allow earlier discharge.

Its 40 permanent staff were yesterday told the unit will close in December with staff due to be offered other roles at York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

Patients who would usually be admitted to Archways will be given support at home from the hospital's community response team instead.

However, groups which represent older people in York say they have not been consulted and fear the service will prove inadequate for some elderly patients.

There are also concerns the closure may exacerbate ongoing problems with so-called bed blocking - when people are ready to leave hospital but can't because the care they need is not in place. Over the last year, an average of 22 people a day in York were ready to leave hospital but were delayed in doing so.

Wendy Scott, director of out of hospital care, said caring for patients at home would aid their recovery.

She said: “Developing these services is essential given the predicted growth in the elderly population, as research has shown that we may do harm to older people if we delay their transfer or discharge home after their acute recovery phase is completed.

“For example, 10 days of bed rest can cause the equivalent of 10 years of muscle ageing in those aged over 80 years.

“This is in addition to a loss of confidence and developing an increased reliance on others whilst in an unfamiliar setting such as a hospital ward."

The decision, which was made jointly by NHS Vale of York CCG and York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, is not a cost saving measure, the trust said, however overheads will be saved from the rental of the building from City of York Council.

Age UK York said there was a feeling of sadness a valued unit, which was named after its former chair and York's former Lord Mayor Jack Archer, was being closed.

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Sally Hutchinson, the chief officer of Age UK York, said: "There are always going to be people who can't go home because their home is not suitable and I'm very worried this is going to put an additional strain on community resources.

"I'm really sad because Archways was named after Jack Archer. He was a pillar of the community."

York Older People's Assembly said it is concerned about what the closure will mean for single older people who may struggle on their own.

Bob Towner, chair of the group, said: "I would not have the confidence the care is yet in place to help people to cope."

Staff at Archways, including nurses, physiotherapists and occupational therapists, were told of the closure plans in meetings yesterday.

The 22-bed hospital unit was opened in 2004. Patients are admitted directly from home, from A&E or following an episode of acute hospital care, and stay for an average of three or four weeks.

The closure of beds will be phased throughout November and December with patients there at the time of closure being given "a full patient management plan and assessment to determine on-going bed-based care requirements and/or their transfer home with support."

Ms Scott said: “By offering assessment and care in a patient’s own home or another suitable setting, we are able to gain a more realistic assessment of their needs in terms of immediate recovery and rehabilitation and their on-going care requirements.

“This team is already operating successfully in York and will be expanded to accommodate a greater number of patients.

“Other services will also be in place that may offer support, for example outreach pharmacy, advanced care practitioners and the community discharge liaison service."

City of York Council said the future use of the site will be reviewed.