RESPONSE REQUIRED TO AVOID PROTEST! Bridlington (MIU) to Re-open ?? |
For the direct attention of: (Interim) Chief Executive Iain McInnes & Management Dear Mr McInnes & Staff; You may recall the handing over of a Petition of not less than 22,500 signatures on 3rd October 2006 , made up of; Bridlington Residents, Visitors, Patients, Owners of Caravans, Flats & Property; all the above from what ever walk of life are entitled to use the NHS facility known as Minor Injuries Unit based at Bridlington . This very important (MIU) as now been closed since 4th September 2006 some 4 month? Problem stated at the time SICKNESS as this problem now been sorted out? We are also aware that there are many Nurse Practitioners out of work and any vacancy could well have been filled by now; your previous talk was about bringing in Out-of-hours Doctors; has this yet been finalised or is it cost you are all about saving money? I feel as many other do; answers should now be available to all under the freedom of information act. Are you aware at present we have 4 Minor Injuries Units closed in the area of the East Yorkshire overnight ? Bridlington Hospital from 04/09/06 9pm to 9am; Plus: Malton & Whitby this totals 6 in all; Bridlington has been the centre point! This is certainly very unfair to the public & patients who require these services (Free to everyone).....most have to travel between 20 and 40 miles to the nearest A&E based at either Scarborough, Hull or York, or call an ambulance or go by other means i.e. friend or taxi as there are NO - Bus or Train service available at night; we believe this is a tremendous strain the the existing ambulance service in this area. We as a Campaign Action Group are now asking when you plan to re-open the Bridlington Hospital (MIU) 24/7. If we are not making progress then a peaceful protest will have to be planned at Bridlington Hospital; I await your reply; A.S.A.P. Mick Pilling (Chairman) Reply from Iain McInnes (Interim Chief Executive) Morning Mick You are aware that we are currently consulting on the future role of Bridlington Hospital ; this consultation includes a range of options for a future Minor Injury Service. Our inability to safely staff the MIU , with the appropriate staff at Bridlington Hospital overnight continues. At this stage I can confirm that the Bridlington MIU will remain closed overnight at least until 31 March 2006......should this be 2007??? Regards
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Reply from Mick Pilling (Chairman) When the Minor Injuries Unit closed in September 2006 we were told by the previous Chief Executive it was because of Sickness? Not sickness at the time; this was a blatent lie; it was Maternity Leave which had caused the closure. I cannot therefore see why the MIU is going to consultation? This was not stated at the time of closure...all it was, was a sortage of staff? Therefore there is no safety issue; replace the staffing problem and hey-prosto solved MIU back to open....It is not rocket science to put 2+2 together.....unless there is an hidden agenda? COST whist this MIU is closed we are informed the Trust are saving thousands of £££..... Who suffers; YES the poorly patients with injuries who have to travel to other hospital through no fault of there own....The NHS is FREE at the point of entry...therefore these facilities should remain open...as they were prescribed to do.....how on earth can you put a time on people lives.... Mick Pilling Reply from Iain McInnes Morning Mick In order to run the MIU safely we need Nurse Practitioner trained staff that we do not have in sufficient numbers. Since last September we have lost/losing a further two nurse practitioners from Bridlington Hospital to the East Riding PCT. As you know, the current public consultation on the Future role of Bridlington Hospital includes MIU services as access to unscheduled care (MIU) is seen as a key component of local health services. The inclusion of MIU in the consultation is not linked to the staff shortages we have experienced since late summer last year. Iain McInnes Reply from Mick Pilling When the Minor Injuries Unit closed in September 2006 we were told by the previous Chief Executive it was because of Sickness? Not sickness at the time; this was a blatent lie; it was Maternity Leave which had caused the closure. I cannot therefore see why the MIU is going to consultation? This was not stated at the time of closure...all it was, was a sortage of staff? Therefore there is no safety issue; replace the staffing problem and hey-prosto solved MIU back to open....It is not rocket science to put 2+2 together.....unless there is an hidden agenda? COST whist this MIU is closed we are informed the Trust are saving thousands of £££..... Who suffers; YES the poorly patients with injuries who have to travel to other hospital through no fault of there own....The NHS is FREE at the point of entry...therefore these facilities should remain open...as they were prescribed to do.....how on earth can you put a time on people lives.... Mick Pilling chairman |