THE opening of a hospital ward for dementia patients is to be delayed.

As reported by the Echo, the Beaulieu ward at Western Community Hospital in Millbrook, Southampton closed in November 2018 due to a shortage of nurses.

The closure left Southampton patients having to be cared for at the Gosport War Memorial Hospital or Parklands Hospital in Basingstoke.

Last month health bosses said the ward was going to re-open in May after a revamp.

But now they said the ward will re-open on June 3 and the number of beds available will be reduced.

The news was revealed in a document published ahead of a meeting of the Health and Adult Social Care Select Committee set to be held at Hampshire County Council in Winchester on May 14.

In the report health bosses have also confirmed that both the registered nurses and health care support workers needed have now been recruited.

The revamped ward will be single-sex compliant and will have new flooring, furniture, equipment, staff and meeting rooms.

But the number of beds will be reduced from 17 to 14.

“We have been carefully monitoring the availability of older people’s mental health beds across Hampshire and, despite the temporarily closure of Beaulieu Ward, there has been a surplus of beds.”

Health bosses said re-admissions onto Beaulieu ward will be a gradual process.