NHS North-West chief exec says changes will save lives

Date published: 04/09/2007

Mike Farrar, chief executive of NHS North West, has declared that whilst he recognises the concerns of people in Rochdale over changes to their local health service, the increased travel time to other hospitals for services such as accident and emergency will be "far outweighed by the improved quality of care". Mr Farrar has made four pledges in the wake of the Independent Review Panel’s endorsement for the reorganisation of children’s and maternity services in Greater Manchester and urgent care in the north east of the conurbation.

In a statement, he made four commitments to local people:

The additional investment of approximately £100m required to improve services, including the additional neonatal intensive care unit and 80 specialist nursing staff, will be made available to fund the proposals.  

No changes will be made to current hospital services until the new hospital and community services are in place. Staff and the public will be fully consulted on the details and timing of the changes.

The changes will mean an overall increase in NHS staff working in hospitals and community services. No staff will be made redundant as a result of these changes.

The primary care trusts have welcomed proposals for midwife lead units and are committed fully to implementing the recommendations of the IRP. 

Mr Farrar said: "Whilst these changes have been widely supported across the whole of Greater Manchester, I do recognise the concerns in Bury, Rochdale, Salford and Trafford, where services are changing. 

"But we are supporting the view of local clinicians who believe that the changes will save lives and that the additional travel time for some hospital based services for some patients will be far outweighed by the improved quality of care.

"There will also be new services in the community, closer to their homes, as well as from the strengthened hospital based services should they need them.

"These changes will take three to five years to put into place and we will ensure that staff and the public are involved fully as they progress.

"But when complete and the new investment is made, Greater Manchester residents will have strong, sustainable and high quality 24 hour services that will lead the country."