Health chiefs are calling for reassurances that changes in mental health services will not mean a drop in standards.

Beds for those suffering from addictions and eating disorders have been cut at High Royds Hospital at Menston, according to Colin Perry, of Leeds Community Health Council.

He said some beds had been switched to Seacroft Hospital, and patients suffering from addictions were to be cared for in the community.

Fears that community services would be unable to cope with the extra strain were voiced at a recent meeting of health chiefs and workers.

Mr Perry said: "The overall feeling of the meeting was that it was inappropriate to cut beds when existing services aren't coping with the pressures.

"There is a feeling that services have deteriorated and could deteriorate further.

"Money needs to be put in to services in the short term to enable the Health Authority to provide adequate services to meet the needs of the people and put in the staffing and resources at the grass roots level."

Mike Ramsden, Director of Corporate Affairs at Leeds Health Authority which funds health care, said that Leeds Community Mental Health Trust was responsible for managing hospital beds.

He said £600,000 was to be injected into mental health services before April, and no further reductions were planned.

Mr Ramsden said: "The Health Authority's position is that we support a planned modernisation of mental health services with more emphasis on community-based services and less emphasis on acute beds.

"Their concern is that beds are being taken out before the new services are in place.

"We are committed to providing more investment and are discussing implementing specialist in-patient services this year."

Mike Doyle, director of operation services at Leeds Comm-unity and Mental Health Trust, was not available for comment.

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