Rossendale: NHS cutbacks bombshell

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."

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?

Manchester: Hospital closures and cuts 'will cost lives'

Plans to downgrade A&E and maternity services in Greater Manchester were approved yesterday amid claims the changes will cost lives - reports the Daily Telegraph.

Under the plans approved yesterday by an independent panel and Alan Johnson, the Health Secretary, Rochdale Hospital's maternity and in-patient paediatrics services will close.

Its A&E will be downgraded to an urgent care centre and emergency surgery will be moved out.

Tens of thousands of people signed a petition against the closure of the maternity unit.

Fairfield Hospital in Bury will lose its maternity service, inpatient paediatrics and emergency surgery although A&E will remain.

In Salford, maternity and inpatient paediatrics services at Hope Hospital will close and its neonatal intensive care unit will move to the Royal Bolton Hospital. Trafford Hospital will lose its maternity services and inpatient paediatrics.

Managers say the changes will ensure patients are treated safely, but Paul Rowen, the Liberal Democrat MP for Rochdale, accused Mr Johnson of "wielding the axe" in Greater Manchester.

"The Labour Government ought to be ashamed of themselves. This decision by Mr Johnson will cost lives," he said.

Hazel Blears, the communities secretary and Salford MP, said she was "pleased" by the recommendation that Salford should have a stand-alone midwife-led unit.

In December, she was accused of hypocrisy after joining picket lines to protest over the proposals.

Study 'backs' couple's A&E fight

A couple's court battle to try and keep Rochdale Infirmary's A&E department open has been vindicated by a new study, their solicitor has claimed - according to the BBC.

University researchers have found the further patients travel to hospital, the more likely they are to die.

David and Lisa-Louise Fitton say they need an A&E department close to their home because their son suffers fits. Solicitor Richard Scorer said the couple used a similar argument in their application for a judicial review.

Researchers from the University of Sheffield said their data suggested longer journeys to hospital for seriously ill patients could lead to an increase in mortality.

They argue the study proves more research was needed into government plans to downgrade many A&E departments across the country in favour of regional super units.

Rochdale is among the hospitals set to have its department downgraded to an 'urgent care centre', leaving Jordan facing a 25-minute journey to an A&E department.

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."