Infirmary to lose more beds

Rochdale Infirmary

Rochdale Infirmary is to lose more beds.

Three beds will be temporarily removed from the Coronary Care Unit.

The ward will then be left with just four beds. Hospital bosses have denied rumours that the unit will close completely.

A spokesperson for the Pennine Acute Trust said: “Following discussions with senior clinical staff, a decision has been taken to temporarily reduce a small number of medical beds; this is based on assessment of activity and bed occupancy.

“We are not closing the Coronary Care Unit at Rochdale Infirmary.

“We have temporarily closed three beds at the unit because we are running at only 60 per cent bed occupancy; this leaves the unit with four beds. Occupancy has reduced as a direct result of changes and improvements in the way patients with heart conditions are managed. This is a temporary measure and will be under constant review.”

The spokesperson added: “Our hospital staff have increased and improved their productivity over the years. This has enabled us to reduce the length of stay for our patients and rationalise the number of beds we need across a number of wards. If we can run services safely and effectively with fewer beds then we will seek to do this as this is a responsible use of resources. It is in the patient’s best interests that they are treated quickly and their discharge is not unnecessarily delayed.”

The Programme Investigations Unit at Rochdale will also move from a 5 day to a 3 day unit.

Rochdale Online understands the closures are due to financial difficulties.

Friends of Our Hospital campaigner, Councillor Jean Ashworth has described the loss of beds as “frightening.”

She said: “It is on record that I asked the Chief Executive of the Pennine Acute Trust John Saxby that I believe these closures were down to the fact that they were in huge financial difficulties, which he replied was not true.

“The position they are leaving the Borough of Rochdale and surrounding areas without adequate care is a violation to vulnerable people and a concern to Human Rights. Which I feel we really do need to highlight as there will be no extra cover or plan in place to cope with the winter pressures that we face along with many other towns and cities nationally.”

The Deputy Leader of Rochdale Borough Council, Councillor Ashley Dearnley said: “It is very sad if this is going to happen. It is a very important service that we need to keep locally.

“The Trust is still not listening to all the hard work of the Friends of Our Hospital and the views aired at the public meeting.

“It is a very worrying situation that we are facing.”

The Leader of the Labour party in Rochdale, Councillor Colin Lambert, is calling on the Trust to ‘come clean’ about the extent of their plans for the Infirmary.

He said: “It is now time for the Acute Trust to come clean and publish their final plans for the Rochdale Infirmary so we can all decide what is happening.

“This drip feeding of cuts is leading to further speculation that we could lose all services.”

The Infirmary will also lose three critical care beds.

The hospital currently has 7 critical care beds. Three of these will be transferred to The Royal Oldham and North Manchester Hospitals from Monday 29 November as part of the Healthy Futures surgical moves.