'Free baths' will now cost elderly £11.55

About 100 people across Rother will be affected. A councillor says he has seen some people in tears over the decision.

Bexhill and Rother Primary Care Trust will stop the funding to make more money available for prevention and treatment of illnesses such as heart disease.

The decision of the Professional Executive Committee has worried service users since letters were sent two weeks ago.

Chief Executive of Bexhill and Rother Primary Care Trust Rick Stern said the service, started in 1998, is not used by people with serious health or social service needs and is well beyond what the NHS generally provides.

"It is specifically for people with no health or social care requirements, but who may need help with bathing." said Mr Stern.

Frontline health professionals including GP's, agreed the 20,000 Careline contract for bathing and support could be better spent.

"Every year we review all our contracts. With 83 million in our overall budget, we need to check whether we are targeting services in the correct way.

"We decided this is not the best way of targeting with the limited resources we have.

"There are other things we should be doing such as prevent illnesses like heart disease.

"We know this is a sensitive issue but we have to make a judgment as an organisation lead by frontline staff - a judgment that provides the best value for money."

Leaflets sent out with letters outlined three alternatives: buying in the service directly from Careline at 11.55 a time, buying equipment to make bathing easier or being assessed for other support services.

While 11.55 seems steep, it is the going rate for such a service, according to the PCT.

Bexhill will pay less then Battle service users who will fork out 15.55 per bath if they wish to buy in the service. This includes 4 for mileage.

Old Town Councillor Stuart Wood has been contacted by worried constituents. He said: "Everybody always thinks that Bexhill is a rich town. Well, it is in part but there are also deprived areas where people just cannot afford this."

"The PCT are saying they are not withdrawing the service which technically they aren't. They are asking people to pay for it instead.

"I have had lots of concerns from my constituents and elderly people in tears.

"They are saying we have gone through wars to end up being treated like this, with prisoners getting treated better."

Any service users concerned about the change should contact the PCT on 735600.