The Cystic Fibrosis Trust is very concerned about the planned closure of the Cherry Tree House Adolescent Unit at Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children (RBHSC). The hospital trust plans to close the Cherry Tree House Adolescent Unit at Christmas.

Cherry Tree House is part of the paediatric CF service along with Allen Ward. Cherry Tree was built over twenty years ago after money was raised by fundraisers in Northern Ireland. It currently provides accommodation for three teenage Cystic Fibrosis inpatients at a time along with a parent's room, a gymnasium, a shared bathroom and a treatment room. We have learned that the Allen Ward is due to close for refurbishment in January 2011, and after this date the in-patient rooms in Cherry Tree will no longer be used for CF patients. The hospital is proposing converting the rooms into accommodation for parents whose children are being treated in Allen Ward.

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a life-threatening, inherited disease affecting the lungs and digestive system. It requires intensive treatment and for some, regular hospital stays of up to three weeks several times a year to receive intravenous drugs to treat infections. The Paediatric Cystic Fibrosis Centre in the RBHSC is the only service of its kind in Northern Ireland and looks after 190 children and teenagers with CF.

Jo Osmond, Director of Clinical Care and Commissioning at the Cystic Fibrosis Trust said "We were very concerned when we heard about the unexpected imminent closure of Cherry Tree. Parents are rightly concerned about where their teenage child will be accommodated when they are admitted to hospital, and although the management have suggested adolescents with CF have priority over three of the new beds on the main ward there is currently no agreed policy in place to ensure this actually happens in practice. The hospital trust's adult Cystic Fibrosis service works on the principle that priority over 10 beds on Ward L8 is given to adults with Cystic Fibrosis via an agreed bed policy, and there should not therefore be any discrimination between these two services. Furthermore Cherry Tree was built with money raised by families affected by CF so they understandably feel aggrieved that it is to be taken away from them."

The Cystic Fibrosis Trust has been working hard behind the scenes with the hospital trust, clinical team, concerned parents, and MLAs to try and resolve the situation. Click here to read a letter to parents we sent on the 25th November.

f you would like to be added to the mailing list regarding Cherry Tree please email website@cftrust.org.uk with your name, address and email address.

Further information will be added to our forum and facebook page as the situation develops.

Update 10.01.11
Following a meeting on Friday 7 January, The Belfast Health and Social Care Trust have agreed to take another look at their plans regarding the closure of Cherry Tree House. They will get back to us by Friday 14 January and we will update you further then.

Update 17.01.11
The Belfast Health and Social Care Trust has had a number of internal meetings to discuss Allen Ward/Cherry Tree House and have discussed several options. Dr Alastair Reid has been included in these meetings.

They want to have the options appraised by their Risk Management Department before any final decision is made. It is going to be next week before the risk appraisal is completed. We will keep you informed when we hear anything further.

Update 20.01.11
We are delighted to announce that Cherry Tree House Adolescent Unit, part of Allen Ward at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children (RBHSC), will continue to be used for Cystic Fibrosis patients. After lengthy negotiations and consultation with parents and the CF Trust, the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust have agreed to keep two in-patient rooms in Cherry Tree House on a priority basis for teenagers with Cystic Fibrosis. Read our press release.