MORE than 40 elderly mental health patients are to be relocated to Bromsgrove's hospital after asbestos was discovered in the ceiling of their current home.

Worcestershire Community and Mental Health NHS Trust, which runs the Princess of Wales Community (PoW) Hospital, in Stourbridge Road, has decided to relocate 42 patients from the Elgar Unit, at Worcester's Newtown Hospital, after the poisonous substance was discovered.

They will be moving into an empty single-storey unit on the PoW site, at the end of the month.

Trust bosses hope patients will be able to return before April 2001.

Major refurbishment is due to take place at the Elgar Unit but health chiefs say the asbestos has left them with no choice but to move the patients.

Trust chief executive Sue Hunt said: "To ensure there's no risk to patients, staff and visitors, the trust board has agreed to temporarily relocate two wards from the Elgar Unit to vacant accommodation at Bromsgrove.

"It will, of course, cause difficulties for staff but also complications for relatives who have to travel to Bromsgrove.

"Detailed plans for relocating the wards are being drawn up with nursing, therapy and medical staff.

"The trust regrets the hardship and difficulties this will cause to visitors and will make every effort to ensure relatives are able to visit the elderly patients," she said.

Mrs Hunt said white asbestos is not in itself a risk while undisturbed but, given the refurbishment planned, there will be a need to remove the ceilings under strictly controlled conditions.