What a Fiasco!

Posted By: Jean Ashworth
Date Posted: 09/11/2009

Since the start of all this downgrading  of our hospital I have had many concerns which I have publicly voiced my opinion and it hasn’t suited certain people.

The move to turn A&E into an Urgent Care Centre and moving the Walk in Centre has gone ahead regardless of not having enough staff or space to accommodate the extra volume of patients needing care in place to overcome the problems that have occurred is appalling. To see patients sitting on the floor because all the chairs are full and the department is to small is disgraceful - I have witnessed this first hand. To see the dedicated staff working all out under extreme pressure is very sad.

The first contact is the triage nurse in A&E, he or she has an enormous responsibility and needs to be a highly qualified nurse, the Trust says, “ok we will put another triage nurse in place”, where from may I ask? They can’t take another qualified nurse off the department as they are struggling enough for staff!

The volume of patients attending A&E has more than doubled over the last few months the Trust say that is "unusually high figures”.

What happens when the winter pressures start this year? 

What happens next year when it becomes more of a problem?

Who is expected to deal with it? The Staff already at breaking point.

Every A&E department in the Pennine Acute has had to close over the last few months, the situation is at crisis point, staffing levels are unsafe, some are working 12 hour shifts without a proper break!

Paramedics are being told to assess patients before taking them to A&E!

Rochdale is dealing with over 80 thousand patients a year, plus another 50 – 60 thousand at the Walk in Centre, the staff simply cannot clear the department because of the high number of patients.

They have been landed with this situation by the Trust implementing these changes before making sure it was safe to do so, both for the patients and the dedicated staff who are constantly working under stress.

What is the real problem with re-opening the Walk in Centre? The much needed space is desperately required. A simple solution to a current crisis could be so easily resolved.

Is the promise of money from the Government more important than the Health & Wellbeing of the people in our borough? 

 Have they taken into account  the fact that our birth rate has risen since 2002 and again between 2005-07 yet they are still intent on closing our maternity unit!

Has it worked in Burnley and Blackburn? The answer is a definite NO. So what makes them think Rochdale  could possibly  make it work  better" ?

What a fiasco!

Councillor Jean Ashworth