Minister denys cuts to A&E

Heath Minister Mike O’Brien MP has denied there are plans to shut Rochdale A&E overnight.

During Health Questions in the Commons, Paul Rowen MP asked when the Government would stop trying to fool people about the post-election cuts they are planning.

Mr Rowen pointed out the recent leak of plans by the North West Strategic Health Authority for PCTs to cut spending across the board by 10%, which would include 15% cuts to mental health care, 10% cuts in demand for hospital care and also cuts to the numbers of staff and their pay.

He then slammed the recent leaked proposals to shut Rochdale’s A&E Department at night, meaning emergency ambulances would be diverted to hospitals in Oldham and North Manchester after midnight right up until the early hours of the morning.

The evening closures are part of the next step in the Government’s plans to close Rochdale Infirmary’s A&E next year. It will be replaced by an urgent care centre caring for the walking wounded but not the seriously ill.

The Minister denied secret plans existed to close the A&E Department at night, even though Tom Wilders, Director of Strategic Planning at the Pennine Acute Hospital NHS Trust admitted to Councillor Jean Ashworth in a Health Overview and Scrutiny meeting that the plan did exist as an option.

The Minister cited concerns about staffing at Rochdale Infirmary’s A&E Department, an issue which Mr Rowen warned about when the closure of the A&E was being planned. Mike O’Brien said that no decision had yet been made about closing the A&E Department overnight.

Mr Rowen said: “Health services in this area have received one blow after another. First they announced the closure of Rochdale Infirmary’s Maternity and A&E Departments. Then we found out that the Strategic Health Authority is planning £1 billion cuts in health services in Greater Manchester. The final nail in the coffin is the recent leaked proposals to shut Rochdale A&E at night!

"The people of Rochdale have not been consulted on these major changes to their health services. Labour’s pledge to protect health services in Rochdale has been revealed as a sham!”