Campaigners are celebrating a decision to reinstate up to 40 beds at Chelmsford's Broomfield Hospital.

A ward has remained closed since December in a bid to cut £1 million from the Mid Essex NHS Hospital Services Trust debts.

The plan agreed by North Essex Health Authority and the trust is to open additional wards at the hospital and recruit more nurses.

Clive Mortimore, chairman of the mid-Essex branch of the Royal College of Nurses said: "We are happy the beds will be reopened. It will be beneficial to the patients and we will not be in the position we were in last winter with patients in inappropriate wards."

John Kotz, chairman of the Mid Essex Community Health Council (CHC), said the decision vindicated its appeal against last December's ward closure.

"I found it difficult to understand how bed closures could have been contemplated when it is now generally recognised that there are limits to reducing bed numbers without serious risks to patients and the effective delivery of emergency care," he added.

Norma O'Hara, chief CHC officer, said its members had been made aware of the decision and asked to consider withdrawing the appeal when the date for the reopening of the beds is known.

Health chiefs say the beds will be open as soon as possible and a detailed plan will be discussed at a public trust board meeting on Friday, April 7.

The move frees up all the remaining beds at the hospital and will increase the hospitals medical bed complement for the coming year.

It will also improve the trust's ability to cope with emergency admissions, accident and emergency waiting times and reduce elective surgery cancellations.

Andrew Pike, the trust's new chief executive, said he was delighted the health authority and the PCGs had agreed to give staff the resources to treat ever rising patient numbers.

"I am optimistic this decision, together with the new money announced, will see services to the mid-Essex population improve," he added.

The decision was made ahead of the Chancellor's £2 billion NHS hand out announced in the Budget.

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