Barrow consultant-led maternity service and special care baby unit retained
Last updated at 17:30, Tuesday, 05 February 2013
THE transfer of Furness General Hospital's consultant-led maternity unit and special care baby unit from Barrow to Lancaster has been called off, after eleventh-hour summits to secure safe staffing levels proved successful.
The University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust this afternoon confirmed that the temporary move, announced last Thursday and due to be actioned from 9am today, has now been cancelled.
The public has faced a nervous wait for answers over the plans today. The trust has spent all day in crisis talks with its GP commissioners and bosses from the wider NHS, having received heavy criticism over its decision.
Sir David Henshaw is interim chairman of the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust.
In a statement originally expected at lunchtime today, he said: “The trust and the wider NHS have been working hard and have pulled together to assist with the staffing issues in the Special Care Baby Unit (SBCU) at Furness General Hospital (FGH).
“We are pleased to announce that, as a result of this team effort, we have been able to secure additional experienced, qualified neonatal nurses in order to safely staff SCBU at FGH.
“Both SCBU and consultant led maternity services are running as before and women should attend as previously advised.
“On behalf of the trust and its partners, I would like to sincerely thank the public, staff, and in particular, those women who were most affected by recent events.”
UHMBT chief executive, Jackie Daniel, added: “The Trust Board, together with its NHS partners, will be constantly monitoring the situation and working on robust plans to ensure safe, sustainable staffing levels can be maintained.
“We will keep the public, governors, staff and stakeholders fully informed of any developments.”
First published at 17:05, Tuesday, 05 February 2013
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk
Very worrying, I wouldn't feel safe having my baby there with all the problems.
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It is not only the MATERNITY section that are in dire straights through incompetent MANAGEMENT POLITICS.
The way my GRANDSON (18),after being since birth under ALDER HEY care was treated for a CARDIAC eemergency recently was a DISGRACE.
We were informed that POLITICALLY BARROW had no alliegence to LIVERPOOL and thus would NOT Liase with his LONG TERM CONSULTANT there.
APPALLING treatment from a so called NATIONAL Health Organisation although the staff were sympathetic they admitted their hands were tied
Posted by flooky on 6 February 2013 at 13:08