To: Chief Executive Iain McInnes;
Copies to: Media; Radio & Television

Hello Iain;

I would like to draw your attention to an incident a patient had to contend with on Friday 07/09/07 at approx 2.00pm The patient suffering excruciating pain in the kidney's area went to Bridlington hospital's Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) on arrival suffering acute pain she went in to the MIU were she was told; there is no doctor available here we cannot see you or treat you (sorry); you must call an ambulance and go the Scarborough A&E there is no doctor available to see you here in Bridlington; very upset the patient went outside were she appeared to be in a state of collapse and feeling quite un-well.  In this state she was approached by a nurse wearing a green type uniform, she asked what was the problem and the patient told the nurse the story and what had just happened in the MIU, the patient said, I am very un-well and I feel terrible; I believe then the nurse called an ambulance; some minutes later an Ambulance appeared; it loaded the patient and set off for Scarborough Hospital in all haste; the patient by this time was very un-well and suffering excruciating pain and a great deal of discomfort; by the time the ambulance had got to the Filey area , the patient was by now severely in excruciating pain were the ambulance had to pulled up and a Paramedic had to be called out to treat the patient, the Ambulance crew could not give this Pain-injection; after an injection the paramedic gave the all clear for the patient & ambulance to carry on to the Scarborough Hospitals A&E.  There will be a record of this case, please look into it, thanks.

I find the whole situation an incredible story; what is the problem with treating this patient, a human with dignity at the Bridlngton hospital, surely there was a doctor on the wards who could have given this patient treatment; we have been informed there was a doctor in the Bridlington hospital who could have treated this patient, instead she had to travel some 22 miles for treatment......outrageous & un-called-for. This I am told is not the first patient there have been many more but these stories are not supposed to get out to the media; it seems to happen on a regular basis; we will be monitoring such patients with a view to stamping out this situation in the future.

You are already in talks with the Yorkshire Ambulance Service (YAS) who have categorically stated  in the Media they are finding it very hard to meet demand; you sir; are making it even harder for the (YAS) to cope, as I have previously stated it seems every patient now goes to Scarborough Hospital A&E thus by-passing Bridlington; we firmly believe you are or you are attempting to downgrade the Bridlington & District Hospital bit by bit I find this totally unacceptable for the people of Bridlington & surrounding areas.

This week will mark the Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) at Bridlington Hospital closed over-night for  12 months its opening times of 9am to 9pm is farcical; you were handed Mr. McInnes a Petition of no less than 22,500 Signatures in December 2006 and yet you have done nothing, we don't foresee you opening the MIU this year because you appear to be playing games with people lives; if you had any sort of plan to open the MIU no-one seem to have seen it, all we hear are promises.  Your promises are nothing than BULL-SHIT you have hood-winked the people of Bridlington & District for too long;

Now the gloves are off !!

We will be holding the first of many Protests and Rallies on Monday 11/09/07 @ 10.00am Bridlington hospital.

The next in approx 3 weeks were we will take to the roads in a mass protest with Unions, Councillor, MP's & towns of Scarborough, Filey & Bridlington...You must be stopped before LIVES ARE LOST !!!

You have now decided to close the Cardiac Monitoring Unit in Bridlington Hospital in the near future with a loss of 6 beds; you intend to take it to Scarborough?  Please tell me what as Scarborough CMU got that Bridlington has not they both treat Chest pain & Heart Attack victim, you also state that the CMU is not sustainable or Safe, it has been for the last 18 years? this is nothing more than a cost saving exercises by the Trust that cannot be trusted.  A large cloud hangs over the Acute Medical wards at our hospital, staff now firmly believe it is the Trusts decision to remove AM Wards and take it to Scarborough also.

Are you aware that the removal of Services from Bridlington Hospital could cost the (YAS) as much as £1.2m to £1.4m for extra crews and ambulances?  All you are doing is passing your debt on to others and putting many lives a risk....

Can you state: Loud and Clear for everyone to hear;
I...... Chief Executive Iain McInnes and our Trust Board have NO Intention's what so ever to remove to Scarborough Hospital the following:

1. Cardiac Monitoring Unit to Scarborough Hospital......
2. Acute Medical Wards Kent & Thornton to Scarborough Where have all the foreign nurses disappeared from CMU???

We are told and have been informed by patients about night staff Nurses on the wards?  Some nights there is only one nurses to see to 30+ patients other nights only two this is depressing to anyone in hospital; I would like to know how long this is going to sustained, it is clearly un-professional and against hospital health & safety... I know of many patients who have reported this issue; nurses say we are working fully stretch to the limit?

You stated at a staff meeting recently 07/09/07 that the Trust were going to remove the above; next breath you say it is all Rumours...(Quote)

Kindest regards Mick Pilling....waiting for answers!
(Chairman) Save Bridlington Hospital Campaign Action Group
Fighting for Patients and a fairer NHS for all

Reply from Iain McInnes

Evening Mick

Firstly, as I have stated previously I cannot comment and/or report on an individual patient's case to you unless you can submit to the Trust signed, formal written consent that the patient has given you express consent to act on their behalf.

You are correct; we are in discussion with YAS regarding the likely impact of any potential changes to patient flows from Bridlington. These discussions continue and will include the PCT as they commission emergency ambulance services.  Any impact on/increased cost to YAS will be considered before a recommendation is put before the Trust Board.

We continue to work with the PCT to find a sustainable solution for opening MIU 24 hours a day

On CMU the advice the Trust has received to date from National Tsars and some local clinical staff is that CMU on the Bridlington Hospital staff is not sustainable into the future.  As stated at Staff Briefings; the September Trust Board and the Bridlington Town Council Meeting we are working through a Project board and steering group on a future service configuration this will be further tested out by a “Risk & Challenge Group” involving NHS partners; community representatives drawn from PAGER; Bridlington Health Forum; ERYPCT PPI Forum; Overview & Scrutiny representatives and Bridlington Hospital Staff representatives.  A public meeting will be held ahead of any recommendation going to the Trust board.

On acute medical wards advice the Trust has received to date from National Tsars and some local clinical staff is that the current level of acuity of patients admitted to Bridlington Hospital cannot be sustained – however, there will continue to be medical beds at Bridlington Hospital providing a range of medical support for local patients in chronic disease management, rehabilitation, etc.

I do not understand your comment “Where have all the foreign nurses gone?”

We constantly seek to maintain safe staffing levels, both day and night – this is the responsibility of local site managers.

Iain McInnes

Chief Executive

Scarborough & North East Yorkshire NHS Trust