UNISON Health Care; gets it wrong again!

UNISON Health Care newsletter Editor: Dave Bannister; seems to get it wrong so many times; in the November Issue 2003 Newsletter; he stated we were scare mongering and spreading untrue rumours; that is a long way short from the truth; we set-up the Save Bridlington Hospital Campaign to protect Doctors and Nurses jobs from the constant cut-backs and set-backs imposed by the Scarborough & North East Yorkshire Healthcare NHS Trust in there venture to save money and cut corners; with a £11.7m deficit around there neck caused by we believe previous miss-management. We do not have to re-evaluate the source of our information as this normally comes by way of Doctors, Nurses and Patients in there own Union “UNISON” who are frightened for the careers and health; rightly so; due to the many management cut-backs; its time that UNISON amalgamated with AMICUS who support our Campaign wholeheartedly and have contributed donations to our cause. By the way if Dave Bannister had taken time out to view our Website correctly he would have seen that from October 2003 we are in fact Save/Support Bridlington Hospital Campaign; we also do much in the community to raise money for the Bridlington Hospital League of Friends and have donated £100.00 recently also a presentation for £550.00 will take place on the 12th January 2004 at Bridlington Hospital to the League of Friends to buy vital equipment for our hospital other donations include £250.00 to Macmillan Wold Unit, Bridlington Hospital and a host of presents for there Xmas Raffle; everyone is open to there own views; but to talk to the nurses at Bridlington is a very different story; these nurses Support our campaign 100% and welcome all the hard work we put into our efforts; the many donations we make to the; League of Friends at Bridlington Hospital and the Macmillan Wold Unit goes fully supported. We fully respect the hard work and dedication that our Nurses and Doctors achieve and will help them all we can to maintain a fully efficient Bridlington & District Hospital; we tell it as it is; we put questions and rumours to the Scarborough & North East Yorkshire Healthcare NHS Trust’s Chief Executive Ms Alison Guy so that the Trust as every opportunity to dismiss or refute our claims and answers these question unequivocally. The problem at the moment is that the Trust have decided not to discuss rumours; the problem been too many Chiefs and not enough Indian; too many discussions been made by too many people so that rumours do in fact take longer to quash.

You quote much of our information is based upon hearsay and speculation; you been an editor should know there is no smoke without fire; fact; up to now all information received by the Save/Support Bridlington Hospital Campaign as been true; reports by the Rt. Hon. Greg Knight MP and our Local Mayor and a host of Councillors state categorically if were it not for the Save/Support Bridlington Hospital Campaign leading this Campaign irretrievable damage could have been cause to the Bridlington & District Hospital since 2002.

By the way Mr Bannister; I firmly believe your intention were genuine and honest when Chief Executive Alison Guy requested you write your article; you been a good friend of hers; when I spoke to Alison recently she was not pleased with the many truths on our website; to write it as it is does not do damage but brings out the truth for the good of Doctors, Nurses and Patients; should I print anything untrue; I would retract it and apologise; we as a campaign group are fighting for the future of the NHS and Bridlington & District Hospital; which is a top of the range hospital under-utilised; so much more could be done in Bridlington hospital were money not the key issue at every turning point.

Your December 2003 Newsletter Christmas Edition; certainly gave the Save/Support Bridlington Hospital Campaign the much needed publicity it as needed; the overwhelming support we receive and the sponsorship; we thank you for bringing it to your members attention; we would ask your member to take a leaf out of the AMICUS the UNIONS book and support us wholeheartedly for the future; we are on your side and are fighting for your jobs and future; we will not let your down we want the same; security in the NHS.

Please answer this Question Mr Dave Bannister; what are your views on the Night-porters at Bridlington & District Hospital been reduced to one at night and having to do two men’s work; do you not believe this is a Major Safety Issue and should be reviewed immediately or do you agree with management? I have been asking the Scarborough NHS Trust now for the last 3 months; yes over three months about this situation now in place; this was not a rumour; from Monday 05/01/04 mid-night Bridlington Hospital night-porter was reduced to one; would the management reply; no; it was put to all senior management; who declined to reply to e-mails etc; also we now have no security men in place; this job has been past on to porters in another cost saving exercise; would you care to mention this in your next newsletter; I’m sure nursing staff will be interested to know that at night there is only one man on duty; shameful cost saving exercise and poor protection for nursing staff in Minor Injuries Unit. Do we now expect Nursing staff to open doors late at night when it could be a drunk or someone high on drugs etc; what contingency plans are in place should this one man fall ill on duty or come across a two man job? Over to you Mr Bannister regards Mick Pilling.

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