Charity cuts lead to A&E queues at University Hospital of North Staffordshire
PEOPLE are crowding out North Staffordshire’s overstretched A&E department after recession-hit charities have been forced to turn them away.
They have started to use the University Hospital of North Staffordshire unit as a last resort even though it is already missing Government targets to treat patients quickly enough.
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Simon Harris, of the Citizens Advice Bureau
The worrying trend has been revealed by the area’s GPs who have been given new powers under NHS reforms to commission and monitor hospital care.
Now the doctors have been urged to use their budgets to restore cuts in the voluntary sector so the charities can re-open services for sick and needy people.
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Family doctors leading North Staffordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) estimate that Government austerity measures have slashed the income of the voluntary organisations by a 30 percent locally.
That has forced them to close services and as a result, people who rely on them are now seeking hospital care.
The GPs say the cuts are also hitting the more deprived areas hardest, resulting in far more people needing to be admitted as emergencies.
Audley GP Dr Richard Page, CCG emergency care director, said: “Austerity measures have led to service closures and a 30 percent reduction in voluntary sector budgets locally.
“In such circumstances, A&E is often the route of least resistance – and patients have told us they get a guarantee they will be seen if they attend the unit.
“There is also evidence that people living in areas of socio-economic deprivation have higher rates of emergency admissions after adjusting out other risk factors. In fact GP practices serving the most deprived populations have hospital admission rates between 60 and 90 percent higher than those serving the least deprived populations.”
The added pressure on A&E comes as it is seeing record numbers of patients.
The knock-on effects have seen the hospital fined for keeping patients waiting, beds having to be re-opened to cope, the trust reporting a £16 million overspend and executives warning of a major shake-up of services.
Advice agencies say cuts in social care have seen people turn to the voluntary which has also seen budgets reduced.
Simon Harris, chief executive of Stoke-on-Trent Citizens’ Advice Bureau, said: “People turn to places they know will always be open and, as we know find A&E as a last resort.
“The GP commissioners deserve credit for identifying the problem – now they could use their new budgets to help solve it.
“Being treated at A&E helps people’s immediate needs but it is other agencies including the voluntary bodies which resolve their underlying problems.”
Comments
by cooljay
Saturday, November 10 2012, 12:15PM
“So lets have a think and look back at past newspaper and HSJ reports.
The North staffs A and E have been fined for missing targets the local papers report delays and the need for more wards and staff.
Who in management has fallen on their sword?
It is clear to see the target culture is still present and this is a PFI contract hospital that has high service costs ie PFI loan and the work they carry out is less and will be paid even less.
Thus turning lights off reducing the number of paperclips will do nothing.
To pass to the press that a service reconfiguration is needed is crazy.
This hospital is spending more earning less and will miss the targets by some £20 million this is in the first year.
For the management to pass the debt over to another year is madness.
What will change in 2014/15? What extra income? Answer none.
This is just like the man on the street asking for an increase in the credit card limit.
Gives you time but you need a plan to repay the debt.
The real concern is we all can see the number of managers increasing and the number of clinical staff reduced.
I have seen a friends care given a car parking penalty charge notice when picking up a cancer patient!!!! No empathy no understanding and they meaning the management wonder why people will go to other providers.
BUPA and Care Uk never give fines they understand this is not good customer care and they see the bigger picture ie repeat care means £££££.
As for golf carts!!! These have a weight limit and are not designed for disabled people and or bad weather.
Just wait for the buggy to slip or slide and the compensation will be massive.
Again poor thought and why!!!
The Govt wants Private Health care by stealth and we can all see this.
What needs to happen is total overview and managers need to understand the Francis report will make the managers actions accountable.
We seem to do the same thing over and over again and expect different results.
This is Albert Einstein's quote for insanity.
Are the Managers insane!!!!!”
by BucknallMel
Friday, November 09 2012, 1:45PM
“I really am curious as to what charities were doing that substitutes for a trip to A & E. I wouldn't go to the Citizens Advice Bureau for a broken finger, or a minor burn, any more than I'd go to the hospital for benefit or housing advice.”
by Bernwa
Friday, November 09 2012, 11:05AM
“The best laid plans of mice and men.................!”