Hospital ward closures will put 'significant pressure' on the NHS, warns Sheffield Council

Sheffield Council says it will 'redouble its efforts' to keep people safe and healthy at home following the closure of four hospital wards.
Northern General HospitalNorthern General Hospital
Northern General Hospital

Council bosses say the closure of the wards at the Northern General Hospital will put 'significant pressure' on the NHS going into winter.

A building housing 140 patients across four wards will be closed for months after concerns were raised about fire prevention measures within its walls.

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Coun Chris Peace, Cabinet Member for Health, says the council will ensure it provides support to the NHS through social care.

'The ward closures put significant pressure on the NHS going into winter which is obviously a time of high demand.

'My focus is on ensuring that the council provides support to the NHS and, in particular, to the public, ensuring people can get home quickly after a hospital stay and redoubling our efforts to ensure we help keep people safe and healthy at home.

'Earlier this month, Cabinet agreed the use of funding to support the health and care system over winter and some of this will be used in response to the current situation at the Northern General.'

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Work has begun on the hospital walls, with the renovation expected to take a number of months.

Hospital bosses have stressed that the problems are not related to the building's cladding, which was found to be safe after it was inspected following the Grenfell tower fire in London in which 72 people died.