Health bosses forced to reopen closed Infirmary beds

Date published: 02/01/2008

A shortage of beds for poorly children throughout the region has forced Pennine Acute health bosses to reopen previously closed beds at Rochdale Infirmary. A recent letter to staff said that closed beds at Rochdale Children's unit would reopen between 7 January and March 2008.

The letter went on to ask staff to volunteer to increase their part time hours on a temporary basis or to work additional hours at overtime rate. However, the nurse bank and nursing agencies had also had to be approached to try and get enough staff to cover the reopened beds.

Councillor Jean Ashworth, who has worked at the Infirmary for nearly 30 years, said: "I really do wonder how the changes to the services at the Infirmary are going to work.

"This is the worst time of the year for virus’s and our little babies and children need inpatient hospital care as so do our elderly.

"This is nothing new for this time of the year, the worrying thing is what will happen when they remove these  services permanently  and move these beds to North Manchester?!

"When they won't be able to open beds because they have already filled them with other patients. What will happen to our poorly little ones then?

"These virus's are not going to go away every year it gets worse!

"Will North Manchester really be able to cope with ALL of Rochdale, Fairfield and Oldham's  poorly babies and children needing inpatient care?

"I think not!

"What will it take to reverse these ridiculous, dangerous proposals?"

A spokesman for Pennine Acute said: "Councillor Ashworth claims that North Manchester General Hospital (NMGH) is going to receive children’s services from all of the other three hospitals in the Trust. As has been very well documented, the paediatric centres of excellence will be Oldham and NMGH. These units will bring together staff and facilities, making it easier to cover when we have issues like short-term sickness among staff."