MP attacks operating theatre closures

North Yorkshire and York Primary Care Trust closed the operating theatres at Malton and Whitby hospitals this week after an annual check found ventilation systems at the theatres in both hospitals were performing below the required standards.

Following the announcement, patients who had surgery planned at both hospitals have been told their operations are being rearranged.

Yesterday Anne McIntosh, the MP for Thirsk, Malton and Filey, expressed her alarm at the closures and tabled Parliamentary questions to the Health Secretary asking how the situation will be resolved.

“There has been a failure by the primary care trust to maintain this vital facility at Malton,” said Ms McIntosh.

“This closure has happened at extremely short notice. It will be incredibly disappointing for those patients who were waiting for an operation to have been told it will have to be rearranged.

“There has been a distinct lack of transparency from the trust over funding and I suspect that the motivation for the running down of these facilities is financial.”

The chief executive at Scarborough and North East Yorkshire Healthcare NHS Trust, Mike Proctor, said: “As part of an annual check, the ventilation systems in the operating theatres in both Whitby and Malton hospitals have been found to be performing below the required standards.

“As a result of this, it was agreed to suspend the use of these theatres from this week.

“To bring these theatres up to standard will require significant investment. Clearly such a decision would require due consideration and would be taken in the context of the North Yorkshire Review.

“It is reasonable to expect that this decision would be taken in the next three months.”