No x-rays after midnight slammed as ‘ridiculous’

Councillor Jean Ashworth

Patients are unable to have X-rays at Rochdale Infirmary’s Urgent Care Centre (UCC) after midnight – a move which as been slammed as “ridiculous” by a health campaigner.

The UCC at the Infirmary replaced the A&E department at the Infirmary in April and treats non life threatening minor walk-in injuries and ailments.

However, X-rays are only available from 8.00am and midnight – meaning if a patient needs an X-ray between midnight and 8.00am at the Infirmary they will either be taken to another hospital run by the Pennine Acute Trust or be told to return the next day.

Councillor Jean Ashworth said the situation was “frightening.”

She told Rochdale Online: “They are making their own rules up by saying it is only available until midnight.

“The Urgent Care Centre should have X-rays available through the night.

“It shouldn’t even be called an Urgent Care Centre – it can’t cope with anything urgent!”

A spokesperson for the Pennine Acute Hospital Trust, said: “X-ray is available at Rochdale Infirmary from 8am to midnight, 7 days a week to support the UCC and Clinical Assessment Unit.

“If there is a need for a patient to receive an x-ray urgently out of hours which would affect the management of their treatment they would be taken to our other sites.

“If it is a minor injury such as, for example, a suspected broken finger then the patient would be advised to return the next morning."