Nurses, therapy and support staff will protest today over cuts at a board meeting of Kingston’s mental health trust.

Unison members say patient safety is being impacted by Government-driven cuts at South West London and St George’s Mental Health Trust, including ward closures at Tolworth Hospital and the privatisation of drug and rehabilitation services in Kingston.

Michael Walker, of Unison, said: "People are going to have to travel further for care."

A spokesman for SWLSTG said: "In common with the rest of the NHS, the trust faces significant challenges over the next few years, with a reduction in the overall budget and increased costs.

"We are looking at all our services to see where changes can be made in order to maximise efficiencies, while continuing to ensure the quality and safety of the care we provide to patients.

"The trust is committed to engaging with staff about any proposed service changes and, wherever possible, offering suitable redeployment opportunities."

The SWLSTG annual board meeting will take place in public from 5.30pm to 6.30pm at Springfield Hospital, Tooting, on Thursday, September 29.

The trust said its achievements for 2010/11 included winning a tender to provide psychological therapy in Merton and Sutton, opening the country's first recovery clinic and relaunching the Shaftesbury Clinic.