Barrow meeting over FGH cancer care fears
Last updated at 10:40, Thursday, 21 March 2013
A PUBLIC meeting has been called amid claims NHS staff have been gagged from voicing concerns over plans to change the provision of care to cancer patients in Furness General Hospital.
The University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust, which runs FGH, announced last week its intention to relocate oncology and haematology inpatients from the dedicated oncology unit.
Hospital bosses revealed patients would be moved to a “dedicated area” on one of the acute medical wards and insist it “would not in any way affect the treatment”.
But campaigners have questioned whether the same level of care could be provided should the changes go ahead.
Barrow and Furness MP John Woodcock has organised the public meeting after speaking with hospital staff who told him they had been ‘instructed’ by managers not to make public statements about the proposal.
Mr Woodcock said those staff included nurses worried about the risk of infection to cancer patients.
The meeting will be held in the Engineers Club in Abbey Road, Barrow, at 7pm tonight (Thursday 21 March).
Mr Woodcock said: “I am hoping this perceived ban is a misunderstanding.
“Recent NHS experience – both here in Furness and elsewhere – shows the danger of gagging staff.’’
Jackie Daniel, hospital trust chief executive, said: “I’d like to make it clear this trust fully supports any member of staff that wants to speak out regarding matters of patient safety.
“If a member of staff has a concern regarding patient safety, we would ask them to raise it internally with their line management and colleagues.
“Should they feel they need to speak out about it publicly, we would support them in that, as the safety of our patients has to come first.
“At a recent staff briefing, comments were made about certain aspects of the changes to the location of oncology and haematology inpatient services at FGH, being ‘played out in the media’.
“These comments were in no way instructing any staff members not to speak out about safety concerns, should they wish to.
“It was merely a staff member expressing their personal views.”
First published at 16:08, Tuesday, 19 March 2013
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk
Have your say
So the fact that a Chief Nurse (Another Manager in Reality) called the staff pathetic for speaking out to the press. All right when your on £100K though - another layer of management being paid for by the low paid who are having their jobs and hours cut. PATHETIC.
Posted by demoralised on 21 March 2013 at 14:38