THE CASH crisis in Southampton's hospitals is biting in unexpected ways.

Patients at the Royal South Hants Hospital, pictured above, have discovered the escalators have been switched off in a bid to save money.

The news follows Daily Echo revelations last week, pictured left, that the Southampton University Hospitals Trust desperately needs to save £9m.

A leaked letter from trust chief executive David Moss revealed staff might not get paid in the New Year unless the savings are made.

As a result, staff and patients at the Royal South Hants are being asked to use nearby lifts or stairs at the hospital's main entrance to cut the escalator electricity bill.

The hospital said the measure was just "good housekeeping", adding that little savings could reap big rewards.

When staff saw a notice on the closed escalator, they thought it must be out of order. But a closer inspection of the sign on the moving stairs revealed the trust had turned them off to cut costs.

The hospital will not say how much money is actually being saved through the cutback. They say the switch-off is a temporary measure for this financial year.

A hospital spokeswoman said: "The point is that a lot of the time small savings add up to a lot.

"The lifts have to run because not everyone can use an escalator, so anyone who has difficulty with the stairs can use a lift. The escalators are non-essential and it doesn't affect care in the least.

"It is part of a good housekeeping exercise we are doing. Every little helps," she added.

But the move was condemned by patient Paul Le Bourn. He is on oxygen for 19 hours a day and has a phobia about lifts.

He said: "It is a crazy way to run a health service."