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Infirmary ward closure sparks new cash row
Damon Wilkinson1/ 6/2007
MORE beds are to be lost at Rochdale Infirmary, it has been announced - in the same week it emerged that the NHS in the North West underspent by £161M last year.
A 37-bed medical ward will be axed at the Infirmary next year by bosses at Pennine Acute Trust attempting to balance the books.
But figures disclosed by the Guardian newspaper show that the North West Strategic Health Authority is sitting on millions of pounds after making cuts under political pressure to avoid a deficit.
Now union bosses and politicians are demanding the cash is used to avoid bed losses.
Rochdale MP Paul Rowen said: "The money was intended to be spent on health services in the North West, not sit in the bank.
"The Pennine Acute Trust is cutting nearly 10 per cent of its beds with the loss of services to the community.
"I question why we should be making these cuts when the surplus retained by the Strategic Health Authority would more than meet the deficits of the Pennine Acute and other trusts in the North West."
Pete Hinchcliffe, of the Unison trade union, added: "We are as bewildered as the general public as to how the trust can cut nearly 10 per cent of its beds when all this money is sloshing around in the coffers.
"Our members are extremely concerned and demoralised."
But bosses at the Trust, which also runs Royal Oldham, North Manchester General and Fairfield General hospitals, insist the closures will not affect services and have vowed to offer all affected staff other roles.
Medical director Dr Ruth Jameson said: "Reducing our beds through this programme will not affect patient services because we are becoming much more efficient at using our resources."
Head of human resources Roger Pickering added that the cuts should not result in job losses.
He said: "We remain confident that all staff affected by these moves will be offered redeployment.
"Our aim is to deliver financial recovery while minimising the impact on patient services and staff."
A total of 221 beds will be cut across the Trust's four hospitals.
A spokesman for NHS North West said the surplus represented just two per cent of the total £10bn budget.
He added: "It is a net underspend from 56 organisations across the North West and is a result of delays to projects such as new builds, equipment and services.
"The underspends from one organisation cannot be used to manage the financial problems of another.
"The Pennine Acute Trust has a robust financial recovery plan in place which we give our total support."
CLICK on the video link to see Channel M's report ...
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10/06/2007 at 14:12
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