December 29th, 2008 | 
Author: The North West Ambulance Service has blamed delays at hospitals for difficulties in getting ambulances to emergency patients in time.
A statement by the ambulance service said that they would be using volunteers from St John’s and the Red Cross, delaying all training except for new recruits, and calling all trained staff into operations. The statement said that pressures at hospitals were “causing significant delay in ambulance turnaround.”
Burnley Council leader Gordon Birtwistle, who is campaigning with the Lib Dems for a return of full Accident and Emergency services to Burnley General Hospital, said, “Royal Blackburn Hospital is overflowing with patients. We’ve seen Blackburn’s A&E suspended twice due to complete breakdown of the service. Even when it’s working, it takes too long to see patients.
“The Labour government has put a huge amount of extra taxpayer’s money into the NHS but we in Burnley are paying that extra tax for less service. There must be an independent enquiry into the state of East Lancashire’s hospitals.
“We have said all along that Blackburn does not have the capacity to handle A&E for such a large area. On top of that ambulances are spending more time travelling longer distances. This problem will only be solved when the Hospitals Trust admits its mistake and reverses the decision to downgrade Burnley General.”
Health minister Ben Bradshaw said, “It is totally unacceptable for ambulances to back up because they are being forced to do so by the accident and emergency department.” (link)
Referring to the target to see patients within four hours, Mr Bradshaw added, “Any accident and emergency department that thinks it can fiddle its achievement of the four-hour figure by keeping ambulances stacked up outside the hospital is wrong.”
The Trust recently decided to suspend its bid for Foundation status because of difficulties meeting patient targets and controlling finances. Health campaigners have accused the Trust of deliberately seeking to fiddle its record on the four hour target to see A&E patients.
Coun Darren Reynolds, who is seeking election to the new board of governors of the Hospitals Trust, said, “I have heard reports of patients moved untreated into the Medical Assessment Unit because this means the clock can be stopped, and of patients being left in ambulances because the clock doesn’t need to be started. That should never happen.
“It is no surprise to me that the Foundation bid has been delayed. This is exactly what I told the Trust chairman to do when he first suggested the idea last year. The Trust must focus on the problem at hand, not mess about with how it is governed whilst patients are at risk.”
Posted in - State opening of parliament http://t.co/aRvafa20
- Good luck to lib dem candidates in Burnley & across the country. Well done for all your efforts & big thanks to all who helped campaign!
- Off to radio 4 now. It's been a long day
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First they closed the A&E to emergencies
Now they are closing the Childrens ward at Burnley General
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Now they are closing the Childrens ward at Burnley General
Join the campaign today
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