TRADE union Unite vowed today to “spearhead” a campaign to save Derbyshire’s specialist therapy services for adults who suffered abuse as children.

Derbyshire NHS commissioners will open a consultation in October on the future of the oversubscribed service as they look to make savings of £500,000 because of Tory austerity.

Patients include victims of child sexual abuse, physical abuse, and people traumatised by their parents’ alcoholism and drug addictions.

Unite represents the nine psychotherapists at the psychodynamic psychotherapy service, and says their work has benefited up to 10,000 patients.

Unite regional officer Maureen Scott-Douglas said: “Unite will be spearheading a campaign to save this vital NHS service.

“This cannot be the time to cut a service that offers traumatised adults treatment to work through the devastating consequences of their abuse.

“The loss of this specialised department will leave a gap that no other service is in a position to fill.”