CAMBRIDGESHIRE NHS is planning to reduce hospital admissions to save money, it has emerged. A �38 million deficit for this financial year, and the national agenda to reduce burdens on large hospitals has prompted the county to look at improving outpatien

CAMBRIDGESHIRE NHS is planning to reduce hospital admissions to save money, it has emerged.

A �38 million deficit for this financial year, and the national agenda to reduce burdens on large hospitals has prompted the county to look at improving outpatient services to community hospitals such as the Princess of Wales in Ely.

Over the next five years, opening hours for the minor injuries unit at the Princess of Wales are set to increase, in a bid to help those who find it a burden to get transport all the way to King's Lynn, Bury or Addenbrooke's hospitals.

Chris Banks, chief executive of Cambridgeshire NHS said: "We have to make services more accessible and make it quicker."

Patient transport is a major area which would be helped by the move towards community hospitals, said Mr Banks. "We are looking to bring more services into the Princess of Wales, but we will need to work with the ambulance service and local authorities to make sure that older people and those without access to transport have genuinely accessible services," he added.

"It costs about �1,500 a day to keep a patient in a hospital bed. Obviously if someone needs specialist care, that's what they must have, but what we don't want is people having to go there when they could use an outpatient service closer to home."

Also in the NHS' five year plan is increased spending on "health promotion" initiatives - marketing budgets for five fruit and vegetables a day,

WHAT DO YOU THINK? How would you like to see the NHS change? A discussion will be held at the Princess of Wales conference room, 12-1pm on Wednesday March 25, or email your views to editor@ely-standard.co.uk or write to us at 38 Market Street, Ely. We will make sure your letters are passed on to the NHS.

A Littleport Big Health Debate will be held on April 28.

How much is Cambridgeshire NHS spending over the next five years?

nSexual health �317,000

nScreening for bowel cancer �1,460,000

nAdult Obesity �578,000

nOlder people's mental health �550,000

nStroke prevention and heart rehabilitation �421,000