Health campaigner: “No one has ever criticised the wonderful staff”

Councillor Jean Ashworth

A health campaigner says that recent comments made regarding the Urgent Care Centre at the Rochdale Infirmary were not about the staff at the centre, but the management of the Pennine Acute Trust.

Councillor Jean Ashworth has spoken following a series of events which led to the Trust opening the doors of the hospital to the media in a bid to displace comments made by a doctor.

Rochdale Online reported that a doctor had called the centre unsafe and said there are staffing problems and mishaps.

Staff members ‘hit back’ at the comments and said they were being ‘demoralised.’

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news/58565/doctors-and-nurses-hit-back-at-unfair-comments

Councillor Ashworth applauded the Doctor for speaking out, but says the comments weren’t about the staff.

She said: “Can I say that no one has ever criticised the wonderful staff at the Urgent Care Centre (UCC) and have only ever applauded the dedication and hard work shown by them at all times throughout and before this downgrading .

“The criticism has been against the Management of the Pennine Acute and the handling of the downgrading and closure of wards with speed on bringing decisions forward 12 months earlier than planned without consultation which has left this borough unsafe.”

Councillor Ashworth continued: “Does Dr Coates not agree that removing all paediatric resuscitation equipment from the UCC in April was unacceptable? Or removing the Cardiac Arrest team on the 27 June justifiable? Surely patients needing day case surgery are still at risk as was proved on the call out for the team to be told it no longer existed.

“Is it acceptable that patients are queuing outside Fairfield, Oldham and Manchester A&E departments in ambulances waiting to be seen? Is it fair on the overstretched paramedics forced into these situations?

“The same day the doors were opened to the media my neighbour was a patient in the UCC, he waited five and a half hours for a GP, was then transferred to Oldham for another six hours wait before being treated, is that fair?”

Councillor Ashworth said the Trust hasn’t listen to the public regarding the ‘major’ transport issues they now face.

She said that the Trust “condemn” people like her speaking out, because they know “full well the system has been rushed through to satisfy the management in its quest to save money”, which she claims is now “costing more.”

Dr Anton Sinniah, Consultant Physician and Clinical Director Unscheduled Care at The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust said: “I am extremely disappointed that misinformed comments and the repetition of rumour continue to demoralise the staff at Rochdale Infirmary.

“Sweeping generalised statements, failure to raise issues through recognised channels or unsubstantiated comment are the real threats to the delivery of safe patient care.

“I make no apology for repeating that the changes implemented at Rochdale Infirmary were approved back in 2007. We had to implement the changes now because of concerns raised by senior clinical staff about the ability to sustain a safe service on this site.

“The personal attack on Dr Coates, who is the senior doctor responsible for the Urgent Care Centre on a day to day basis, or any other clinician, is unacceptable.

“The staff in the Urgent Care Centre and the Clinical Assessment Unit at Rochdale Infirmary know the true story.

“They chose to speak out when a temporary member of staff made unsubstantiated comments after he had left the Trust.

“If Councillor Ashworth would like to visit the Urgent Care Centre and Clinical Assessment Unit, meet with the staff, hear their point of view, and truly understand what is being delivered for the people of Rochdale I would be delighted to arrange that.”