Mental health services across south west London are at risk of closure under plans by health bosses.

The proposals, which opened to public consultation today, are aimed at redesigning services provided by South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust (SWLSTG).

Changes, if agreed, will impact the trust’s services at Springfield Hospital in Tooting, Tolworth Hospital in Kingston and Queen Mary’s Hospital in Roehampton.

The trust’s preferred option is to centralise the region’s mental healthcare at Springfield and Tolworth hospitals, while closing mental health services at Queen Mary’s Hospital, which treats 500 patients a year. It would cost an estimated £160m which would be raised by selling NHS land, while saving £25.87m over 50 years. The second, less favoured proposal, is to maintain inpatient services at all three sites while closing local mental health services at Tolworth.

Although it would require an investment of £140m - £20m less than the first proposal – it would be much more expensive for the NHS in the long-run - £42.17m more over 50 years.

As part of the proposals the trust is considering moving some specialist services out of Springfield to Tolworth. It is also exploring the best location for a ward dedicated to elderly people with age-related mental health conditions, either at Springfield or Tolworth. In July it was revealed the trust plans to cut mental health patient beds in the region by about 10 per cent, from 2018 onwards, encouraging more people to be treated in the community. Health bosses argue the consultation's aim is to improve care and say some of the buildings being used for mental health patients are unsuitable and expensive to run. A ‘do minimum’ approach is not clinically safe or financial viable either, they added.

But concerns have been raised that ward closures could mean patients become reluctant to travel further for care, with more people reaching crisis point and being admitted to A&E.

An announcement from the trust today said it had to consider serving a wider catchment area, although it is unclear what that involves. The consultation, which ends on Sunday, December 21, 2014, is being led by the GPs in charge of each borough’s healthcare, the Clinical Commissioning Groups.