HEALTH minister Tessa Jowell has given the thumbs down to a reprieve for East Lancashire's eating disorders centre - stating that the health trust that runs it had "no realistic alternative" to closure.

Her view came in a letter to Burnley MP Peter Pike at a time when the shutdown of the loss-making Reedley unit is subject to public consultation.

She said the she appreciated the disappointment which many felt at the closure of the inpatient service which had clearly proved beneficial to a number of people over the years.

She said: "Essentially the board of Burnley NHS Trust was faced with an extremely difficult decision in the light of changes in referral patters."

The unit had treated 18 patients from across East Lancashire since opening, but this had reduced to one local patient at the time of the July closure.

There had also been a dramatic reduction of patient referrals from outside the area.

Ms Jowell stated: "The situation resulted in a reduction in income from health authorities outside East Lancashire which the service needed to remain viable. "Recently there has been a trend towards the commissioning of locally-based day care and outpatient services for this client group and East Lancashire Health Authority is unable to bear the full cost of this specialist service in isolation."

"I am satisfied that the trust has given this matter very careful consideration and has responded to a change in circumstances which left it with no realistic alternative."

The trust decided to close the converted semi-detached house property after hearing patient numbers had plummeted and the unit was heading for a £240,000 deficit.

Managers said closure was inevitable to protect other mental health services.

But consultation was ordered after Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale Community Health Council (CHC) objected to closure, stating it marked a major change in service provision and should be subject to formal public scrutiny.

Mr Pike said he will be discussing the issue with Pendle MP Gordon Prentice and the CHC at the end of the month.

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