Rochdale Infirmary A & E axed

Rochdale Infirmary

Cuts to vital services at Rochdale Infirmary were brought forward by health chiefs yesterday.

Children’s and maternity care, emergency services and overnight surgery will now be transferred to other units from April next year.

The Pennine Acute Trust agreed the plans in 2007 say they are being forced to introduce them a year early because of staff shortages.

John Saxby, Chief Executive of The Trust, said the decision was based on the ability to maintain safe services.

He said: “The difficulties we face in sustaining safe clinical services have recently become more evident.”

The announcement means that Rochdale Infirmary will no longer be able to receive ambulances and anyone needing emergency care will be sent to Oldham, Bury and North Manchester.

Since August the A&E unit has been closed at night and will now be downgraded to a 24-hour urgent care unit.

The cuts, which are part of a wider programme including changes to Fairfield services, will mean no babies will be born at the Rochdale unit.

“It is all to do with money, not lives,” said Councillor Jean Ashworth, who is part of the Friends of Our Hospital group fighting the downgrading of the Infirmary.

“The Pennine Acute is just chain-sawing our services.”

She added: “It is going to be horrendous.

“They are putting every single person at risk.”

Pennine Acute estimate that the closures will mean the Infirmary will receive 4,400 inpatients a year after the changes, compared to 23,600 now.

But they say that 85% of patients who currently attend it will be able to continue to do so.

Dr Anton Sinniah, consultant physician and clinical director of unscheduled care for Rochdale Infirmary, said: “If we do not plan to make these changes we may be faced with unforeseen, unplanned and unpredictable emergency closures.”

Ms Ashworth said that services at Oldham will not be able to cope with the strain and urged the government to step in to prevent a disaster.

Anne Milton MP, Under Secretary of State for Public Health, said in response to a letter from Councillor Wera Hobhouse: “This Government is committed to devolving power to local communities – to the people, patients, GPs and councils who are best placed to determine the nature of their local NHS services.”

A detailed timetable of the changes is expected in the next few weeks.