A new £1.3m unit has opened to help patients get discharged into their own homes.

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) in King's Lynn has set up the Leverington Rehabilitation Unit which will provide one-to-one support to help patients who have problems with their mobility.

It comes at the same time as the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust announced that it would close the Henderson Unit (an identical 24-bed ward), at Julian Hospital, Norwich, later this month for financial reasons. That closure will save £2m over two years.

The QEH said it would cost £1.3m annually to run the ward, which opened on September 26 and is a permanent addition to the hospital. It will be paid for through the hospital's budget for managing bed capacity which is funded by West Norfolk Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

Patients at the 13-bed unit are treated by a team of nurses, physiotherapists, and occupational therapists, who are providing one-to-one support.

It is hoped this will enable the patients to be discharged to their own homes rather than needing to go into residential care.

Michelle Lawrence, the ward manager, said: 'I am really pleased with how the unit is going so far.

'We have had a great response from patients along with other staff in the hospital.'

Dorothy Hosein, the outgoing chief executive of the hospital, said: 'As winter approaches the hospital is facing one of its busiest times, so units such as Leverington are the key to ensuring that our patients receive the right care in the right place.

'This year the hospital has seen record numbers of patients arriving at the Emergency Department for treatment, but – with our colleagues at West Norfolk CCG – we have plans in place which will hopefully meet the challenges ahead.'

Do you have a health story? Email nicholas.carding@archant.co.uk