A SPECIALIST unit which cares for people suffering from Huntingdon’s Disease has closed.

Frank Gardham House, run by Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust, was established in 1994 to treat patients with the inherited and irreversible degenerative disease of the central nervous system.

Set within Guild Park, Goosnargh, the eight-bed unit was one of the only centres of its kind in the country.

But funding was withdrawn by Lancashire’s five primary care trusts after they said it was underused.

Health chiefs said that patients would now receive treatment in cheaper, private independent nursing beds or in their own homes.

Huntington's Disease (HD), which famously affected the American singer Woody Guthrie, causes involuntary movements, emotional disturbances, physical and mental deterioration and gradual dementia. There is no cure.

Phil Pye, of the Friends of Frank Gardham House charity, said the families of patients had been helped to find alternative care in nursing homes.

But he warned: “The closure of Frank Gardham House and the removal of its specialised service would appear to be a cut to services as it will leave a significant gap in NHS care provision for patients with Huntington's Disease.”

The house provided two beds to assess people in the early stages of the disease and six beds for continuing care.

Lancashire Care said that on average over the last year only one of the assessment beds had been occupied and that only two of the six other beds were in use.

A Lancashire Care spokesman said: “The trust and its PCT partners have been reviewing the service due to a reduction in the number of admissions to the unit and more appropriate care arrangements being available in the community and specialist nursing homes.

“As a result, the number of patients occupying a bed on this unit had reduced to two.

“Following engagement with the Huntington’s Disease society and relatives, the trust has identified more suitable placements for these people to receive the continuing care that they need, funded by the PCTs from a specialist home that is nearer to their family or main carer.”

A new HD nursing team based at Ribbleton Hospital will work with these homes and provide a community service, a HD carer’s support group and a new consultant-led outpatient clinic.