Nurses jobs at risk in new shake-up plan at Friarage Hospital, Northallerton (From The Northern Echo)

Nurses jobs at risk in new shake-up plan at Friarage Hospital, Northallerton

8:30am Friday 3rd February 2012 in News Exclusive By Barry Nelson, Health Editor

Making a point: The packed public meeting last night

A CRISIS-HIT hospital facing growing protests over cuts is now planning to shed seven experienced nurses as part of a controversial reorganisation, The Northern Echo can exclusively reveal.

Officials at the 200-bed Friarage Hospital, in Northallerton, have already revealed proposals to downgrade inpatient children’s services to a day unit and turn a full-service maternity department into a midwife-led birthing unit.

This followed a visit by independent experts who warned that the current arrangements were unsustainable because of an acute medical staffing shortage.

Last night, hundreds of people attended a public meeting over the threat and backed calls for a protest rally, demonstration and march.

But now an internal document leaked to The Northern Echo has revealed the number of jobs which will be lost by fresh proposals to merge the Friarage’s coronary care unit and medical admissions unit.

It calls for the number of staff in both units to be cut by seven – two ward managers and five Band Six mid-range nurses.

“It seems that management are running the hospital down and making it less and less of a viable unit."

Trevor Johnston of Unison

While the changes would lead to an extra clinical sister being appointed, the proposals have angered the main health trade unions.

Trevor Johnston, North-East lead officer for health for Unison, said: “It seems that management are running the hospital down and making it less and less of a viable unit.

“What is happening now is just another example. We would want the trust to give a categorical assurance that the hospital has a future.”

Estephanie Dunn, acting regional director for the Royal College of Nursing, said: “Our members are understandably concerned about what the proposals mean for them. But the proposals obviously also have wider implications for the local communities.

“The primary focus must be on ensuring that the disparate rural communities in North Yorkshire have access to these high quality services.”

Sue Geldart, divisional manager for cardiothoracic services at the South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are currently consulting with staff over plans to merge the coronary care unit with the medical admissions unit at the Friarage.

“This would mean heart patients would still receive their treatment at the Friarage, but in a different place.

“It would also result in a small number of staff having to be redeployed. The trust is confident that there will be jobs within the trust for all staff affected.”

Many who attended the packed public meeting last night in the town’s Golden Lion Hotel rose to applaud as Richmondshire District Council leader John Blackie insisted the clear message to be sent out is: “Hands off our Friarage.”

The meeting was called by the town council in the wake of the proposals involving children’s and maternity services.

Speaker after speaker argued against the move, claiming it was not in the best interests of the community or patient care, with some suggesting it would lead to more services moving to The James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough.

Councillor Blackie told hospital representatives: “You are talking about dismantling what is a centre of excellence and we are here to stop it.”

He said that a rally, demonstration and march was now planned to push the message home.

Meanwhile, the National Clinical Advisory Team (NCAT) has pointed out that comments about uncertainties over the future of Darlington Memorial Hospital in their report were based on just one of the stakeholders interviewed during their December visit.

Dr Chris Clough, chair of the NCAT, said: “County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust has assured NCAT that women’s and children’s services remain an important part of the Trust’s provision in Darlington and that Darlington already serves part of North Yorkshire.”