A LEADING campaigner for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) has spoken out against the controversial closure of a York Hospital ward.

Jackie Chapman, secretary of the York and District branch of the Multiple Sclerosis Society, has criticised the decision by health chiefs to close ward 38, a neurology ward.

She said a plan to treat people with neurological problems on different wards or at home would be bad for patients.

"It is just devastating news," she said. "There will be a lot of people very badly affected by this."

Mrs Chapman, whose father and mother-in-law were both treated on the ward, said patients with illnesses including MS, motor neurone disease, brain tumours, stroke and Parkinson's need a dedicated ward.

She said: "Our concern is that if they are going to be put on any ward they get the nursing staff trained.

"I do not know how the staff on ward 38 must feel, but they are such a dedicated, well-trained team."

The Press reported last week how ward 38 will become the fourth ward at the hospital to be closed in the wake of a massive cut in income.

Other wards specialising in orthopaedics, urology, and an ear, nose and throat and maxillofacial ward will also shut, losing 62 beds. Several beds are also going at an obstetrics ward.

The wards have been axed as hospital managers struggle to cope with a £4 million drop in income from the North Yorkshire and York Primary Care Trust (PCT), which has cut back its spending due to massive debts.

The city's branch of the Multiple Sclerosis Society has about 350 members and there are more than 500 people with MS in its area.

Mrs Chapman said she was concerned plans to provide more home care would fall flat because social services would not be able to afford it.

She said: "It is so short-term. In the long run, people are going to get worse because they are not getting proper care."

She also said the group had not been consulted, adding: "I think the hospital's hands are tied and it must be very hard for them to work out where to save money.

"But I am disappointed because we have always campaigned to say why don't you talk to the groups?'. We have lots of valuable information and help we could give but now we have got people ringing up saying What's going to happen?' "When you have got MS you have got enough to worry about."

Director of nursing Mike Proctor previously told The Press that patients would continue to be treated on either general surgical or medical wards, with areas of wards set aside for specialties like neurology.

He also said the closed wards would be mothballed so if the hospital's financial situation improved they could be reopened.