Infirmary’s inpatient maternity and children’s services prepare for move

Rochdale Infirmary

On 25 June, inpatient maternity, paediatric and neonatal services at the Rochdale Infirmary will be relocated to The Royal Oldham Hospital.

The services will be based in newly refurbished and expanded wards – until a new purpose built centre is ready in December 2012.

Facilities at Oldham will include a brand new Paediatric Observation and Assessment Unit (PAOU) for poorly children and young people

From then on Rochdale Infirmary will no longer have a children’s inpatient ward.

And, there will be no births, no overnight antenatal or overnight postnatal care at Rochdale Infirmary. Other maternity services, including routine outpatient antenatal care and scans, will remain at the hospital.

Most children needing to stay in hospital will be admitted to the children’s wards at The Royal Oldham Hospital. Some children may also be admitted to North Manchester General Hospital in Crumpsall or Fairfield General Hospital in Bury, or another specialist hospital if needed.

Children’s outpatient clinics at Rochdale Infirmary and community services will continue as normal. In addition, more children and young people will receive care at home when it is safe to do so. Specialist dental day surgery will also continue to be provided.

Councillor Jean Ashworth, said: “I think it is an unwise move and they are not ready for it, what is the rush?

“It is so sad, it is basically two moves and it is totally unfair.

“To think after next week, that’s it.”

Councillor Ashworth added: “New mums are not being shown round any unit. They have had all choice taken away. They don’t even know where they are going to have their babies.

“It is a serious worry.”

Councillor Ashworth also questioned whether the new super centre due to open in December 2012 would actually be ready in time.

Cathy Trinick, former Head of Midwifery and current Divisional Director for women and children’s services at Pennine Acute Trust, said: “We have robust plans in place so that our inpatient maternity and children’s services and associated staff can be transferred in a safe and methodical manner.

“An important part of this planning is keeping staff, patients and the public informed.

“Our community and hospital midwives have for many months now been ensuring our patients, particularly expectant women, are kept informed and reassured if and how these service changes will affect them during their pregnancy.

“All routine care at home in the community and the services at the Rochdale Infirmary antenatal clinic and antenatal day assessment unit will continue to be available for Rochdale borough residents.

“The existing maternity ward and facilities and children's wards at The Royal Oldham Hospital have been refurbished and expanded to allow the enhanced services for women and children from Oldham, Rochdale and surrounding districts to be provided until our new £44m purpose-built development is completed in December 2012.

Ms Trinnick added: “Our staff do a fantastic job and many who are based at Rochdale Infirmary have been here a long time. We will support our staff during their transfer and integration to our other hospitals. I hope the new enhanced services and teams created will mean our staff can continue to deliver high quality services for women and children from Rochdale and surrounding areas in years to come.”

Leila Williams, Network Director for Greater Manchester Children, Young People and Families’ NHS Network (Making it Better), said: “Changes to maternity, neonatal and children’s NHS services in Rochdale are part of the Making it Better (MiB) programme to ensure safer and more sustainable services throughout Greater Manchester.”

For more information, patients and expectant women should speak to their community midwife or ring the Trust's Maternity Care Helpline on 0161 656 1757 or Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) on 01706 517354 or rochdalepals@pat.nhs.uk