Hospital campaigners are fearful of the effects NHS cutbacks will have in Rossendale, reports the Manchester Evening News.
Health Secretary Alan Johnson announced the bombshell news last Friday that he was approving the controversial recommendations of the Making it Better and Healthy Futures consultations.
And supporters of the campaign to retain full maternity and Accident and Emergency (A&E) services at both Fairfield Hospital in Bury and Rochdale Infirmary said they were shocked and devastated to lose their appeal.
Under the modernisation, Rochdale's maternity facilities will be downgraded and its A&E demoted to an urgent care centre, effectively leaving it as a cottage hospital.
Meanwhile, Fairfield will lose its maternity services and special care baby unit but keep its A&E facilities. It is predicted the changes will take up to five years to implement.
Former midwife Gladys Sandiford, a Rossendale councillor, was disappointed with the verdict and feared the impact on the Valley.
She said: "I just hope this doesn't lead to any avoidable deaths and that this has shown just how desperately important it is that we get at least an urgent care centre and midwife-led birthing unit in Rossendale."
Councillor Alan Neal said the loss of vital hospital services in Rochdale would have a major impact on those in the eastern end of the Valley
He said: "It's one thing if you have transport, but for those reliant on public transport it's going to have a big impact and my sympathy is with them."
Showing posts with label bury. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bury. Show all posts
Thursday, 30 August 2007
Saturday, 25 August 2007
Four maternity units to be shut for a service led by midwives
Plans to close "vital" hospital services in Greater Manchester that have been newly approved by the Health Secretary have been slammed by a local MP as likely to "cost lives" - reports The Times.
A review of NHS services ended yesterday with Alan Johnson’s endorsement of an independent panel’s recommendation to close maternity units at Fairfield in Bury, Rochdale Infirmary, Trafford and Salford Hope.
Salford will also lose its neonatal intensive-care unit.
The Independent Reconfiguration Panel has also backed plans to down-grade Rochdale’s A&E unit and end emergency surgery at Fairfield Hospital.
The changes are expected to happen within five years and are likely to mean more home births and deliveries in units staffed by midwives.
Paul Rowen, the Liberal Democrat MP for Rochdale, accused Mr Johnson yesterday of “wielding the axe” in Greater Manchester to cut costs.
Tens of thousands of people had signed a petition against the closure of the hospital’s maternity unit, he said. “I am furious that we have been ignored.”
The panel said that local NHS trusts should 'consider' creating stand-alone midwife-led units at Bury, Salford and Trafford. But the Royal College of Midwives said that midwifery staff might not cope with the work demands.
Ministers defended the changes. Hazel Blears, the Communities Secretary and MP for Salford, perversely said that she was “very pleased” that her constituency was in line to have a stand-alone midwife-led unit, preferring to cling to that dim prospect while ignoring the fact that the unit at Salford Hope hospital will be shut down.
Back in December Ms Blears joined picket lines to protest over proposals to close that maternity unit at Hope Hospital, despite supporting the national policy on maternity changes. Yet now the axe has fallen, she appears to be welcoming the closure as good news.
“As a local MP I have made representations at every stage to ensure that babies can still be born in Salford, and this is still the case.” she said.
Certainly babies will "still be born", Ms Blears. The question is, what kind of care will they get as a result of these cutbacks?
A review of NHS services ended yesterday with Alan Johnson’s endorsement of an independent panel’s recommendation to close maternity units at Fairfield in Bury, Rochdale Infirmary, Trafford and Salford Hope.
Salford will also lose its neonatal intensive-care unit.
The Independent Reconfiguration Panel has also backed plans to down-grade Rochdale’s A&E unit and end emergency surgery at Fairfield Hospital.
The changes are expected to happen within five years and are likely to mean more home births and deliveries in units staffed by midwives.
Paul Rowen, the Liberal Democrat MP for Rochdale, accused Mr Johnson yesterday of “wielding the axe” in Greater Manchester to cut costs.
Tens of thousands of people had signed a petition against the closure of the hospital’s maternity unit, he said. “I am furious that we have been ignored.”
The panel said that local NHS trusts should 'consider' creating stand-alone midwife-led units at Bury, Salford and Trafford. But the Royal College of Midwives said that midwifery staff might not cope with the work demands.
Ministers defended the changes. Hazel Blears, the Communities Secretary and MP for Salford, perversely said that she was “very pleased” that her constituency was in line to have a stand-alone midwife-led unit, preferring to cling to that dim prospect while ignoring the fact that the unit at Salford Hope hospital will be shut down.
Back in December Ms Blears joined picket lines to protest over proposals to close that maternity unit at Hope Hospital, despite supporting the national policy on maternity changes. Yet now the axe has fallen, she appears to be welcoming the closure as good news.
“As a local MP I have made representations at every stage to ensure that babies can still be born in Salford, and this is still the case.” she said.
Certainly babies will "still be born", Ms Blears. The question is, what kind of care will they get as a result of these cutbacks?
Manchester: Midwives 'dismayed' at fewer units
Midwives have condemned the decision to cut maternity and children's care from 12 to eight hospitals in Greater Manchester and challenged health chiefs to reveal exact bed numbers - reports the Manchester Evening News.
Senior figures in the Royal College of Midwives are "dismayed' by the plans, which will mean babies will only continue to be born in hospitals in Trafford, Salford, Bury and Rochdale after 2011 if health chiefs decide to set up stand alone midwife-led units.
The RCM claim health chiefs `got their sums wrong.' Politicians in Bury, Trafford and Salford have also reacted angrily to the cuts.
But health chiefs defended the plans, saying they would create more beds and improve safety. There were no exact bed numbers available.
Dr Maria Barrell, director of the Royal College of Midwives, said she was speaking out against the plan to protect women's safety.
She said: "I am very concerned that the reduced capacity of Greater Manchester's maternity units will not be able to cope with the demand of an increasing birth rate.
"Midwives are already struggling to provide the quality of care that patients expect and deserve. The government says that extra investment will compensate for the closures, but it seems to me they're got their sums wrong."
Leila Williams, director of the Children, Young People and Families Network, the organisation behind the maternity review, said: "There will be more beds after these plans are brought in. The whole point of Making It Better was to improve the safety for women and children's services across the region."
Health bosses in Bury, Salford and Trafford are now considering the option of midwife-led units.
Edna Robinson, the chief executive of Trafford Healthcare, said: "We are obviously still disappointed that our services will alter. However we do still understand and support the principles of the changes.
"We are very excited by the prospect of establishing a Birth Centre at Trafford General."
Margaret Morris, Chairman of Salford Royal, said: "We are bitterly disappointed with this news.
"We have a track record in delivering high quality care through our maternity and neonatal services."
Coun Yvonne Creswell deputy leader of Bury Council said: "The decision to downgrade the maternity unit is devastating for all those people who fought so hard to keep it open.
"It will deny thousands of Bury resident's access to local maternity services and is nothing short of betrayal."
Senior figures in the Royal College of Midwives are "dismayed' by the plans, which will mean babies will only continue to be born in hospitals in Trafford, Salford, Bury and Rochdale after 2011 if health chiefs decide to set up stand alone midwife-led units.
The RCM claim health chiefs `got their sums wrong.' Politicians in Bury, Trafford and Salford have also reacted angrily to the cuts.
But health chiefs defended the plans, saying they would create more beds and improve safety. There were no exact bed numbers available.
Dr Maria Barrell, director of the Royal College of Midwives, said she was speaking out against the plan to protect women's safety.
She said: "I am very concerned that the reduced capacity of Greater Manchester's maternity units will not be able to cope with the demand of an increasing birth rate.
"Midwives are already struggling to provide the quality of care that patients expect and deserve. The government says that extra investment will compensate for the closures, but it seems to me they're got their sums wrong."
Leila Williams, director of the Children, Young People and Families Network, the organisation behind the maternity review, said: "There will be more beds after these plans are brought in. The whole point of Making It Better was to improve the safety for women and children's services across the region."
Health bosses in Bury, Salford and Trafford are now considering the option of midwife-led units.
Edna Robinson, the chief executive of Trafford Healthcare, said: "We are obviously still disappointed that our services will alter. However we do still understand and support the principles of the changes.
"We are very excited by the prospect of establishing a Birth Centre at Trafford General."
Margaret Morris, Chairman of Salford Royal, said: "We are bitterly disappointed with this news.
"We have a track record in delivering high quality care through our maternity and neonatal services."
Coun Yvonne Creswell deputy leader of Bury Council said: "The decision to downgrade the maternity unit is devastating for all those people who fought so hard to keep it open.
"It will deny thousands of Bury resident's access to local maternity services and is nothing short of betrayal."
Friday, 3 August 2007
Bolton: Canal repair under threat
Improvements to the local canal network are in jeopardy because of cuts to Government funding - reports The Bolton News.
Regeneration work on the Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal is described as being at risk as British Waterways prepares for a £35 million shortfall in Whitehall funding by 2011.
A report from the Parliamentary Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee voices "extreme concern" about the scaling back of public funding to British Waterways, which is responsible for 2,200 miles of rivers and canals nationwide.
John Fletcher, chairman of both the Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal Society and the International Waterways Association, said: "This report identifies the elements that government needs to address - one of which is the threat to waterway regeneration by funding cuts.
"Money is tight but these canals fulfil many government objectives such as educations, green routes, healthy living and jobs.
"The Manchester, Bury and Bolton Canal has always depended on third-party funding but British Waterways needs the cushion of funding which Defra is depriving it of.
"I look forward to working with Defra and British Waterways to work out a new architecture of funding to resolve current problems."
Mr Fletcher will meet with senior civil servants later this week.
British Waterways is already under pressure after shortfalls forced it to scrap £5.6 million of planned refurbishment work on stretches including the Ribble Link, which joins the Lancaster and Leeds-Liverpool canals via the River Douglas.
Waterways Minister Jonathan Shaw said: "We will now work with British Waterways closely in carefully considering the committee's recommendations, but I can say that I am committed to ensuring there is good communication and effective working relationships between Defra ministers and officials at British Waterways."
The committee called for the National Audit Office to review conflicting claims about the state of British Waterways' finances.
Regeneration work on the Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal is described as being at risk as British Waterways prepares for a £35 million shortfall in Whitehall funding by 2011.
A report from the Parliamentary Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee voices "extreme concern" about the scaling back of public funding to British Waterways, which is responsible for 2,200 miles of rivers and canals nationwide.
John Fletcher, chairman of both the Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal Society and the International Waterways Association, said: "This report identifies the elements that government needs to address - one of which is the threat to waterway regeneration by funding cuts.
"Money is tight but these canals fulfil many government objectives such as educations, green routes, healthy living and jobs.
"The Manchester, Bury and Bolton Canal has always depended on third-party funding but British Waterways needs the cushion of funding which Defra is depriving it of.
"I look forward to working with Defra and British Waterways to work out a new architecture of funding to resolve current problems."
Mr Fletcher will meet with senior civil servants later this week.
British Waterways is already under pressure after shortfalls forced it to scrap £5.6 million of planned refurbishment work on stretches including the Ribble Link, which joins the Lancaster and Leeds-Liverpool canals via the River Douglas.
Waterways Minister Jonathan Shaw said: "We will now work with British Waterways closely in carefully considering the committee's recommendations, but I can say that I am committed to ensuring there is good communication and effective working relationships between Defra ministers and officials at British Waterways."
The committee called for the National Audit Office to review conflicting claims about the state of British Waterways' finances.
Wednesday, 30 May 2007
Manchester: Hospital bed cuts plan revealed
About 10% of beds are to be cut across four Greater Manchester hospitals to help an NHS trust balance its books - reports the BBC.
Staff at the Pennine Acute Trust were told of the plans to cut 221 of its 2,279 beds at a meeting on Tuesday.
The trust runs Fairfield General Hospital in Bury, North Manchester General, the Royal Oldham Hospital and Rochdale Infirmary.
Royal Oldham will lose 69 of its 703 beds; 60 beds from a total of 664 to go at North Manchester; Fairfield Hospital will lose 55 of its 518 beds; 37 beds lost out of Rochdale's 394.
Pennine Acute Trust was £28m in debt last year and the bed cuts are part of a number of measures on its "recovery plan".
The Royal Oldham Hospital will lose an 18-bed surgical unit and 12 of 28 beds on an orthopaedic ward.
At North Manchester the cuts will include the closure of a 20-bed short-stay ward.
At Rochdale, a medical ward will be lost and at Fairfield an orthopaedic ward will be cut from 22 to 12 beds.
Roger Pickering, director of human resources and organisational development at Pennine Acute, said: "Our aim is as before, to deliver financial recovery, while minimising the impact on patient services and staff."
Staff at the Pennine Acute Trust were told of the plans to cut 221 of its 2,279 beds at a meeting on Tuesday.
The trust runs Fairfield General Hospital in Bury, North Manchester General, the Royal Oldham Hospital and Rochdale Infirmary.
Royal Oldham will lose 69 of its 703 beds; 60 beds from a total of 664 to go at North Manchester; Fairfield Hospital will lose 55 of its 518 beds; 37 beds lost out of Rochdale's 394.
Pennine Acute Trust was £28m in debt last year and the bed cuts are part of a number of measures on its "recovery plan".
The Royal Oldham Hospital will lose an 18-bed surgical unit and 12 of 28 beds on an orthopaedic ward.
At North Manchester the cuts will include the closure of a 20-bed short-stay ward.
At Rochdale, a medical ward will be lost and at Fairfield an orthopaedic ward will be cut from 22 to 12 beds.
Roger Pickering, director of human resources and organisational development at Pennine Acute, said: "Our aim is as before, to deliver financial recovery, while minimising the impact on patient services and staff."
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