Fears for patients as trust axes heart ward

East Hull MP Karl Turner is asking for a meeting with Health Secretary Andrew Lansley and chief executive of Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust Phil Morley after being contacted by a group of consultant cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons, raising concerns about the move.

Writing just before the trust closed ward six at Castle Hill Hospital, the group warned that the loss of 20 to 30 beds could threaten the existence of Hull as a regional centre “initially for cardiology, but then for other emergency care and eventually extending to neurology, cancer and other specialist services.”

The specialists, who are responsible for 10,000 heart patients, said the move would lead to a “serious deterioration” in services to patients and the skills of cardiac nurses who have been redeployed, would be lost. They warned that patients who needed specialist heart care would not be looked after by specialists as there was “insufficient” beds and that it would also erode the reputation of a centre which has shown “that we can offer 21st century medicine in our corner of the UK.”

The trust is in the second year of cutbacks and needs to save £25m this year. In all they have to save £95m over five years.

Recently seven neurologists wrote to Mr Morley, the Association of British Neurologists and other officials voicing their concerns after a neurology ward was merged with a stroke ward at Hull Royal Infirmary.

Mr Turner said: “It is scandalous that at the same time as the Government is spending billions on an unnecessary reorganisation of the NHS wards are being closed at Castle Hill to save money. We are seeing rationing from hospitals as the governments wastes £3.5bn on yet another top-down restructure.

“Specialist heart doctors have written to me to express their deep concern over these closures. These expert clinicians should be listened to.

“Health professionals that have trained for years know what they are talking about and I am really worried that this will impact on outcomes for my constituents with heart conditions.”

Regional officer for Unison Ray Gray said they had been approached by a number of staff who felt they weren’t consulted enough, and didn’t realise the ward, one of four where patients with heart disease are looked after, was closing so quickly. He added: “Consultants don’t tend to publicly complain, it is very, very rare to have them and the neurologists complaining. If two consultants in neurology decided to go elsewhere, then the nearest specialist unit would be in Leeds.”

The trust’s chief medical officer Dr Yvette Oade said the changes had been planned for over a year and they were developing a five-year cardiology strategy “to see more, not less patients.” She added: “Against a backdrop of cost savings we have to make difficult decisions about services but we will do everything to ensure that patient care is not compromised and that our patients remain safe.” Director of medicine Dr Alan Webb said many beds on ward six were used by non-cardiology patients: “Our proposal will see the moving of all cardiology beds into the state-of-the-art Centre for Cardiology and Cardiothoracic Surgery which will provide our patients with improved accommodation.”