A REHABILITATION unit for people coming out of mental health care has been axed as part of a review by cash-strapped health bosses.

Patients have already moved on from the Red Roofs unit in Shipton Road prior to the closure being announced last week.

The unit provided 12 beds to care for people leaving Bootham Park Hospital and was looked after by 15 members of staff.

Selby and York Primary Care Trust, which is currently trying to slash £23m of spending over the next year, said in future patients would receive help in the community.

The possibility of closure plans was revealed by The Press last month when the trust insisted "no firm decisions" had yet been made.

York council's social services and health chief, Coun Sue Galloway, said in April that she was "shocked" at the proposals, saying: "The council has an agreement with the PCT on the provision of mental health services, and any changes would have to be discussed and agreed with the city council.

"I'm very cross because we hear about these things piecemeal. I'm very unhappy the proposals are not being thought through."

But acting chief executive of the PCT Penny Jones said: "As part of our ongoing work to review mental health services, we have taken the decision to close Red Roofs as a community rehabilitation unit."

She insisted: "The number of patients accessing services at Red Roofs has reduced because of our work to develop more community-based services.

"This means fewer people need mental health in-patient care, and so fewer people have been accessing the care delivered at Red Roofs."

Ms Jones said in future patients could be treated at other units, as well as in the community, and staff would be re-deployed.

The decision follows the earlier closure of the Acomb Gables facility in March, despite massive protests from residents and their families.

Campaigners claimed the closure was purely for financial reasons because the PCT is heavily in debt, but health bosses said they would put money into home care for mentally-ill people in the community.

The Acomb unit could be used as offices and it has been suggested that Red Roofs may be sold to a housing association.

But Ms Jones insisted: "No decisions have been made about the future of the site."

Updated: 08:22 Monday, May 29, 2006