Cash redirected to 'prop' up A&E
MONEY has been removed from mental healthcare in Staffordshire and redirected to try and mprove the 'poor' service patients receive at an A&E unit.
Sums have also been taken from community NHS schemes which were planned to ease pressure on the University Hospital of North Staffordshire's struggling accident and emergency department.
Instead the money – which runs into millions of pounds – was spent on tackling the hospital's A&E crisis by buying extra beds and services and bringing in staff to manage them.
But hospital leaders have been warned they may now have to hand some of the cash back through fines which could be imposed by the area's NHS funding bodies for missing targets.
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Despite the extra investment the unit is still missing Government targets for 95 per cent of patients to be treated and sent home, or admitted to a ward, within four hours of their arrival.
Latest figures show the performance had fallen to just 73 per cent one week last month.
And many mainly elderly patients are being kept waiting in the department for more than 10 hours to be transferred to a ward.
Leaders of the county's primary care trusts (PCTs), which finance most of the hospital's services, said that the delays meant that several times a week people were not getting the level of service they deserve.
The PCTs' joint chief executive Graham Urwin said: "I cannot over estimate the poor performance in A&E in North Staffordshire despite extra funds to buy extra beds, places, services in the community as well as the management of the process.
"Several times a week at present patients are not getting the service they have a right to.
"I make no apology for giving this issue the absolute maximum level of our attention."
PCT lay director Barry Machin said: "Cash has had to be pulled from other services and that can no longer be spent on things like developing new pathways of care.
"We do not have a bottomless pot of money so it has to be diverted from elsewhere to sort out this problem."
The hospital has already been fined millions of pounds for missing A&E targets.
Ian Syme, co-ordinator of North Staffordshire campaigning group Healthwatch, said: "Patients are coming into A&E from the community where there is a dearth of specialists and skills to keep them out of hospital – and district nurses are left at breaking point.
"Sure, the University Hospital does have things to address but instead of jumping all over it all the time there are other areas of the local health system that need to raise their performance."
PCT planning director Dawn Wickham added: "We are all aware what the University Hospital needs to be doing but social care providers, the community health trust and primary care also need to be doing more on this issue and we must put that challenge to them all."
7 Comments
by Bernwa
Sunday, February 10 2013, 5:10PM
“So not only are they trying to get a quart into a pint pot, they are robbing Peter to pay Paul.
What a way to run a health service. The University Hospital is still undersized and underfunded, folks!”
by cooljay
Saturday, February 09 2013, 12:59PM
“What should happen is managers to be told you have failed and are sacked not moved on or paid off or moved up to the next level of stupidity this is what seems to happen all the time.
It is so easy to see the funding is not in place and the lack of beds was listed by many when the original plans were put forward the unions and professional bodies all said moving 3 sites to 1 and reducing beds was never ever going to work and surprise surprise years pas by and this is the truth. How many managers have gone over this ? if not why not? Also by April the PCT'S are history and it will be CCG'S which are bigger and sadly employ the same people.
Thus we will have the same all over again but more patients will be not treated and left with poor care the only winner will be the no win no fee legal experts.
Just watch and wait. The NHS is being set up to fail and quickly.
Agree re we the taxpayers pay the fines.”
by watchword
Friday, February 08 2013, 3:02PM
“How soon we forget the disaster that befell Stafford District Hospital!!!
Although l haven't read the Francis Report in its entirity, l have certainly read his letter to the Secretary of State, where he has clearly pointed out the desire to meet targets as a major cause of the problems that they had and a lack of mettle on the part of managers to stand up for standards of care.
Once again we see funding from Mental Health Services moved to the acute sector, why is this? Could it be because the provisions of these services are soon to disappear or are going to be moved over another Trust?
There is far to much beurocracy and a completely disjointed approach to healthcare provisions is it any wonder that Martin Tideswell in his Sentinel article of the 8th January 2013 made the point "there but for the grace ", The general public needs to speak out in defence of its health service as few others appear to be doing so.”
by Robnoxious
Friday, February 08 2013, 2:51PM
“The Circus Centre, the clowns are in charge,a balancing act on the high wire. No net.”
by Patricia_62
Friday, February 08 2013, 1:11PM
“Mr Unwin where are the community beds you promised to provide in time for the reduced bed capacity new hospital? Don't you need them any more because the hospital has opened loads that you don't pay for? Where are your community services to prevent non emergencies coming to A&E? Why provide them when they can go to one central point - the A&E? You are not pulling your weight. You are letting the city down by trying to divert the blame else where. It is you and yours that are failing. Pull your finger out and get your stuff sorted before blaming the hospital for your own failings.”
by spudder56
Friday, February 08 2013, 12:34PM
“Fines can only be paid by us the taxpayer”
by mommanoesbest
Friday, February 08 2013, 11:46AM
“What's the point in giving the hospital fines when the money is so desperately needed? Complete and utter idiocy. As members of the public we need to take some responsibility and stay away from A&E and use alternative services unless it's an actual accident or emergency. Our A&E service is abused by people who refuse to listen and what's more, the hospital needs the cash especially now as Stafford Hospital doesn't have an A&E unit overnight. For goodness sakes PCT''s get a grip and look at the bigger picture, you never know, you might need emergency treatment one day.”