Ponte A&E closes at 10 pm and then permanently ....?

Mid Yorks Hospital Trust, which is the organisation that runs our local hospitals has recently announced that Pontefract Accident and Emergency Unit is to temporarily close overnight from 10 pm. To read the full story click here. But essentially it is because there are not enough junior doctors to work in all three Accident and Emergency Departments to maintain a safe level of service to patients. The Trust denies that it is accelerating the closure of Pontefract A&E.

But a week later at the Trusts Public Board meeting it announced that it is considering proposals to change the way it provides services to patients in Dewsbury, Wakefield and Pontefract. To read the full briefing paper click here. In order to become a Foundation Trust, Mid Yorks needs to demonstrate that its services are financially and clinically viable. In a nutshell that means that it can live within its financial means (ie save £30 million a year) and make sure that its clinical services are safe and effective. The current configuration of services does not allow it to do this.

The Trust has produced five proposals that will reconfigure services. All of the proposals have Pontefract A&E becoming a Minor Injury Unit only and In-Patient Paediatrics being centralised at Pinderfields. Three of the options have the Consultant Obstetric Unit being centralised as well. To make room for all these services the options have various surgical units moving to Dewsbury and Pontefract. The Trust is currently consulting with staff and GPs to produce one preferred option that it will take to public consultation next year.

So, .... watch this space (again!).

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