Since its inception, the Directors of the Mid Yorkshire Hospital Trust with the aid of our MP, the then Junior Health Minister, have fought to balance a budget, have centralised and decentralised, have "consulted", re-organised, re-configured and latterly wiped away clinical and emergency services before demolishing the buildings that made up Pontefract General Infirmary. They have entered into a 30 year term multi million pound PFI to give us the new "Pontefract Hospital" which is a third of the size of the old Infirmary. The majority of beds and services are now in Wakefield or Dewsbury and with all its coffee shops, newsagents, high ceilings and gates what we are left with is an airport departure lounge with the capabilities of an outpatient clinic.
From the 1st of November, less than 12 months after the grand opening, we are faced with "temporary" night time closures of the emergency A&E department robbing us of a vital resource and putting extra pressure on other hospitals within the trust and beyond. The residents of the five towns on the eastern side of the district, travellers on the East Coast main line railway, the M62 and A1, people from West and North Yorkshire who have, in the past, depended on Pontefract facilities are now in a post code lottery through the hours of darkness. So don't be ill, take care, do not be involved in a serious accident, or you will have to be taken to Wakefield, Dewsbury, Leeds or even Doncaster as the clock ticks through your golden hour for survival. This is just not good enough.
To the directors of the Trust who state that they cannot attract doctors to their shiny new facility, please ensure that this temporary closure is overturned at the earliest opportunity. If, as Directors you are tempted to go for a full closure and transition to a first aid clinic as some people have suggested,then, after everything else that you have done, it might be better if you sit down and write out your resignations now.
The people of this district deserve better.
Geoff Walsh
From the 1st of November, less than 12 months after the grand opening, we are faced with "temporary" night time closures of the emergency A&E department robbing us of a vital resource and putting extra pressure on other hospitals within the trust and beyond. The residents of the five towns on the eastern side of the district, travellers on the East Coast main line railway, the M62 and A1, people from West and North Yorkshire who have, in the past, depended on Pontefract facilities are now in a post code lottery through the hours of darkness. So don't be ill, take care, do not be involved in a serious accident, or you will have to be taken to Wakefield, Dewsbury, Leeds or even Doncaster as the clock ticks through your golden hour for survival. This is just not good enough.
To the directors of the Trust who state that they cannot attract doctors to their shiny new facility, please ensure that this temporary closure is overturned at the earliest opportunity. If, as Directors you are tempted to go for a full closure and transition to a first aid clinic as some people have suggested,then, after everything else that you have done, it might be better if you sit down and write out your resignations now.
The people of this district deserve better.
Geoff Walsh
1 comment:
Well at least the Trust has replaced key Directors. Must admit I would have preferred that they sorted this months ago and headed off this disgraceful situation.
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