Worried staff said they could end up working and commuting for up to 15 hours a day following plans to shut a Whalley  mental health hospital.

The former Calderstones Hospital site in Mitton Road is set to close at the end of the month, according to staff.

Calderstones was a learning disabilities and mental health facility, which has been managed latterly by Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust.

Staff were told remaining services were to relocate to Mersey Care's Maghull Health Park in Liverpool, more than 40 miles away.

One staff member said despite staying until the end to care for the ‘most difficult to resettle and complex patients to the last day of the service operation’, redundancy options were still not being disclosed to staff. 

Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust said it was aware of concerns from staff but had supported colleagues who wanted to continue with their careers through the process.

One staff member said: “The last remaining patient has been resettled. Staff were informed they would be on two weeks' garden leave until their official last day of March 31. 

“The goalposts are constantly moving. For example, qualified nurses are being asked to come onto the site during their promised garden leave for daily assignments including cleaning of the wards and staffing reception. 

“The main concern is despite staying until the end to care for the most difficult to resettle and complex patients to the last day of the service operation, redundancy options are still not being disclosed to staff. 

“Although most staff do not have resettlement clauses in their contract, they are being heavily pressured to accept roles either at the new Maghull service, or another service in Lancashire which will not honour current shift patterns worked around personal/caring commitments, where parking is paid, and which are not within the Calderstones nurses' skillset and specialty."

Staff said if relocated to Liverpool they could spend 15 hours at work and commuting.

The staff member said: “The new Maghull service is a one hour commute for Lancashire-based staff on top of a 12 hour shift. Staff are ‘between rock and a hard place’. 

“Some of the staff have worked at Calderstones for years, cared for some exceptionally complex patients in that time, and are being treated appallingly in my view.”

A relative to another staff member said they did not know what the future held.

They said: “Do they expect people to travel for two hours and then work for 12 hours. It is completely unfair on people who have worked at the site for many years.

“Employees have been told it closes on March 31.

“Staff are unaware what the future holds as they do not know whether their employment will be terminated and paid redundancy. It's very worrying times due to a lack of communication from managers."

Bosses at Mersey Care took over the former Calderstones NHS Partnership in 2016, which then employed 800 people across Lancashire and Greater Manchester.

A Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust spokesperson said: “We are aware of concerns among some of our workforce due to changes in working arrangements alongside the transfer of care from our Whalley site to Aspen Wood, based at Maghull Health Park. 

“This follows NHS England’s decision to cease commissioning forensic learning disability services from Whalley, which will close on March 31 and the buildings transferred to Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust.

“Throughout this ongoing process, Mersey Care has supported all staff who want to continue their careers within the NHS by offering opportunities within our Trust and other organisations. 

“We will continue working with our workforce, staff side and partners to ensure a smooth transfer of care and services.”