01.03.19
Hospital’s A&E department to temporarily close over ‘significant staffing risks’ and permanent closure feels ‘inevitable’
An A&E department serving 120,000 people is to temporarily close because of staff shortages and a risk to patient safety, with the local council leader noting its permanent closure feels “inevitable.”
Critical care at Northallerton’s Friarage Hospital will be suspended from 27 March but South Tees Hospitals Trust said the changes are temporary – and stressed that the majority of services at the hospital will remain unchanged.
Dr Adrian Clements, the hospital’s medical director and deputy chief executive of the trust, said changes were needed after it had tried and failed to fill gaps in its workforce, stating that the unit is now facing significant risks because of the “imminent” gap in staffing.
The trust said the critical care department at the rural hospital needed four consultants to be safe, but was only staffed by one 67-year old.
The A&E service will be replaced by a 24/7 urgent treatment centre, and all 999 and GP emergency patients will be assessed before arrival at the hospital.
Some patients may be sent to the Darlington Memorial or James Cook Hospital, both around a 30 minutes’ drive from the Friarage.
The hospital stopped providing its overnight children’s care in 2014 and only women deemed low-risk can give birth at the Friarage.
The trust’s chief executive Siobhan McArdle said it remains committed to delivering a sustainable future for the hospital and once current services have stabilised will work with the CCG for a long-term solution and model.
Charles Parker of the NHS Hambleton, Richmondshire, and Whitby CCG added: “We are disappointed that workforce pressures have resulted in this temporary service change and support the trust in their decision to make these changes as a result of significant safety concerns.
“These are urgent temporary changes but there is still an underlying workforce problem. We will therefore proceed with a public consultation on the future sustainability of services at the Friarage in line with our statutory duty.”
Mark Robson of Hambleton Council said the permanent closure of the hospital feels like an inevitable “fait accompli.”
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