Infirmary A&E move caused ‘operational pressures’ at Oldham

The Chief Executive of the Health Trust that runs the Rochdale Infirmary has admitted that the closure of the A&E unit at the Infirmary has caused problems at the Royal Oldham Hospital.

A&E at Rochdale Infirmary was withdrawn in April and replaced with an Urgent Care Centre. The move means that the nearest A&E departments for Rochdale patients are at the Royal Oldham Hospital and Fairfield General Hospital.

At the Pennine Acute Hospital Trust’s Annual General Meeting, John Saxby said the move went ahead early because A&E at Rochdale was “unsustainable” but it had caused “operational pressures” at the Royal Oldham.

In his report, Mr Saxby said: “Clinical safety concerns at the Infirmary raised by our doctors and nursing staff required that we had to close the Rochdale A&E before we were fully ready, and brought forward the move of that service as part of the Healthy Futures programme. We could not simply wait, the service was unsustainable.

“And in moving numbers of patients to The Royal Oldham we have caused real operational pressures at Oldham.

“We are, however, addressing these and hope to shortly be able to approve the extension and development of the A&E department there.”

The service removal from the Rochdale Infirmary was part of the Healthy Futures and Making it Better programmes.

He added: “By April next year, the majority of the clinical moves as part of Healthy Futures will have taken place.

“We have to assess between now and then where these service moves have worked and where they have not worked and whether and how we might need to make improvements.

“One area where real pressures have manifested themselves is in the A&E department at The Royal Oldham Hospital.”

Mr Saxby continued: "The most significant moves have affected services and people in Rochdale. All inpatient services have left the Infirmary site as planned. And whilst a very wide range of services, including out-patient clinics, ante natal and post natal clinics, a full range of x-ray and diagnostic services— CT, MRI and Ultrasound, Programmed Investigation Unit, access to physiotherapy, day surgery and the Urgent Care Centre and Clinical Assessment Unit remain at the hospital, all inpatient services have moved to other sites as part of the changes.

“That has not been easy for staff or the public. However, the new Clinical Assessment Unit is very much open for business and we will ensure that as much work is done at Rochdale Infirmary as is clinically possible to do safely. For example, day surgery activity at the Infirmary is increasing as our surgeons on the other sites are keen to use the best day surgery facility in the Trust to its maximum.”

Health Campaigner, Councillor Jean Ashworth, said: “This proves that they closed A&E early and that Oldham couldn’t cope – this was said all along. They can’t get away with it.”

At the meeting Mr Saxby also noted that the removal of services at Rochdale has caused additional car parking pressures in Oldham, Fairfield and North Manchester which need addressing.

He said: “No matter how much we provide we need more and we have plans in development to see that happens on those sites this year and next."