Trust in row over cuts to services

Berkshire Healthcare Trust has rejected allegations it is damaging
the care of people with mental health problems.

The trust has an £11.9m deficit from the last financial year
and has cut and reorganised services to try to balance its
budget.

But a petition to be delivered to Downing Street next week opposes
the savings in psychotherapy services and the closure of 35 adult
mental health in-patient beds in Berkshire.

A trust spokesperson said the savings in psychotherapy resulted
from scaling back a planned expansion and needed to be seen in the
context of better care elsewhere.