Demand for Charing Cross A&E Service Rises by Over 25%
As document reveals NHS plans to employ 8,000 fewer local staff
New figures provided by the NHS show that more people than ever are turning to Charing Cross Hospital's A&E department for help during the winter months.
The statistics show that 3,849 people attended A&E at Charing Cross Hospital during December – an increase of 27% at the same time two years ago.
November's figures showed 29% more people attended than in the same month two years previously.
At the same time, a document uncovered through a Freedom of Information request submitted by a local campaigner has revealed plans to employ 8,000 fewer staff.
The loss of 8,000 local NHS staff – which is likely to include doctors and nurses at Charing Cross Hospital – was contained in a ‘finance and efficiency’ document for the Sustainability and Transformation Plan, or STP.
H&F Council says it has repeatedly refused to endorse the STP.
These statistics also come as praise has poured in for the work of the staff working at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust -which incluces Charing Cross - currently being featured in the BBC 2 series Hospital.
This week there was particular praise for the teams at Hammersmith Hospital and Charing Cross Hospital's hyper acute stroke unit who were shown performing pioneering surgery to save the life of 98 year-old patient John.
If you missed it, you can see this episode and four others in the series on the BBC's iPlayer. The final episode will be shown next Wednesday. Find out more on the official web site
Merril Hammer, chair of the local Save Our Hospitals group, says: "These plans threaten patients’ lives. We need more beds and more staff, not ongoing cuts."
Cllr Stephen Cowan, Leader of Hammersmith & Fulham Council, agrees saying: "“Our overburdened local NHS needs more, not fewer resources,”
“Any loss of staff at Charing Cross would put local people’s lives at risk – especially as doctors and nurses on the frontline of patient care are facing ever-rising demand.”
You can find out more about the Save Our Hospitals campaign on its web site.
February 10, 2017
