Councillor thanked for dedication to hospital campaign

Councillor Jean Ashworth

Councillor Jean Ashworth was given a round of applause by councillors at tonight’s (Wednesday 26 January 2011) council meeting – for all the hard work she has put into working to keep services at Rochdale Infirmary.

Rochdale Online reported today how vital services including maternity and A&E are listed in a timetable of closures to take place in April this year.

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/52075/hospital-to-lose-vital-services

Councillor Ashworth, Chairwoman of the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee has vowed not to give up.

In her report to the Council, she said: “I still feel the Pennine Acute are not listening to the worries of the borough and are rushing through the closures and downgrading of our hospital services at Rochdale Infirmary and Fairfield and are determined to do this before the next financial year regardless of the ongoing suffering to the people in our borough. Every day I receive calls from someone who has had a bad experience regarding their care or travel outside the area due to the lack of beds.

“I will continue to challenge the Pennine Acute on the many issues they have forced on the most vulnerable through bringing these changes and closures forward without consultation or adequate services in place especially early discharge, lack of intensive care beds, no provision for winter pressure, major transport issues regarding patients having to go out of the area and will continue to voice our vote of no confidence in the management of the Pennine Acute Trust in the handling of these changes as agreed unanimously at the full Council in December by all elected members and the four leaders and over 3000 petitions signed by the public many of them from the Whitworth and Rossendale areas, in which their councillors and MP are very much involved in and have huge concerns regarding extra travel times.”