Chorley A&E reopening delayed as search goes on for staff

Hospital bosses say that they remain committed to bringing the unit back into operation as soon as it is safe to do so – but no fresh target date has yet been set for when patients will be welcomed through the doors.

Last month, Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (LTH) announced that it was “working towards” reopening the emergency department by the end of September.

However, the trust warned that the plans could be derailed by any local spike in coronavirus cases – and the need to recruit additional medics in order to staff newly-created Covid and non-Covid zones within the unit at the Euxton Lane site.

Although Lancashire has indeed since seen a coronavirus surge, the Lancashire Post understands that the perennial problem of staffing has primarily driven the decision to rethink the reopening – alongside the raising of the national Covid alert level and the imposition of local lockdown restrictions in much of the county.

In order to operate the so-called ‘red’ and ‘green’ Covid areas across the A&Es at both Chorley and the Royal Preston – where they already exist – the trust said that it would need to recruit an extra dozen middle-grade doctors.

It was a shortage of these roles that forced the Chorley department to close completely for much of 2016 – and has been the primary reason cited for its part-time status ever since.

The Post can reveal that the additional middle-grade doctor requirement has now been reduced to 10 – but only half of that number have so far accepted offers to work at the trust, following national and international recruitment efforts. It is understood that other offers are outstanding and that more interviews are due to take place.

An extra two consultants are also needed for the redesigned unit – but only one has currently been confirmed.

However, the Post understands that the trust would have been in a position to supply the extra three nurses and three healthcare assistants required for every shift at the Covid-secure department.

Meanwhile, a £970,000 revamp of the layout of the unit in preparation for the return of emergency patients during the ongoing pandemic was also on-track to be completed.

The decision to delay the reopening followed scrutiny from NHS England and clinical input from the Emergency Care Intensive Support Team.

LTH chief executive Karen Partington said: “We know that many local residents will share our disappointment that it is not possible to re-open the service at this time. We fully accept the views put to us by our expert clinical staff, supported by further independent clinical evidence. We are grateful for the support of our regulators and commissioners in making the right decision to protect patients at this time.

“Despite this setback, the Trust Board is steadfast in its commitment to investing in Chorley and South Ribble. £25 million is being invested in a new Midwifery Centre due to open next month, a new Ophthalmology Centre is due to open next October, whilst new theatres will help us to deliver more and better elective care on the site.

“Our Urgent Care Centre at Chorley will remain open 24 hours a day and can provide prompt and timely treatment of minor injury and illness,” Ms. Partington added.

Chorley A&E shut back in March in order to focus the NHS response to coronavirus in Central Lancashire on the Royal Preston and create additional critical care capacity.

As and when the facility does reopen, it will return to its 12-hour a day operation. It is understood that monthly reviews of the situation will be held, with the matter considered in public at a board meeting in early December.

MPs UNHAPPY AT DELAY

Sir Lindsay Hoyle MP (Chorley):

“I am utterly appalled that the department will not now reopen this month. The trust have said that the best they can do is review the decision at a board meeting on 3rd December.

“It is totally unacceptable that they have once again been unable to recruit adequately. That is a process which I have supported, but I will now be contacting the health secretary about the issue as a matter of urgency.”

Nigel Evans MP (Ribble Valley)

“I’m more than disappointed by this news. The trust basically said that they would [reopen] the department this month and then, with a week to go, they say they haven’t got the staff.

“They were dragged kicking and screaming towards reopening anyway, because they don’t really want to do it – but the health secretary has said that they must. So if they can’t do it, they should move aside for people who can deliver.

“It’s the public in the area who pay their taxes who are being let down and deserve a better service.”

Katherine Fletcher MP (South Ribble)

“I was incredibly disappointed to be given this news this morning on a call with local MP colleagues.

“We will be meeting later this week, but I call upon the trust to reconsider this decision.”

WHAT THE TRUST SAYS

In response to the MPs comments, LTH reiterated that it had always been clear that the reopening of Chorley A&E by the end of September was subject to safe staffing levels – and that the recruitment of senior decision-making staff remained a significant risk to the plan.

The trust also said that rising levels of coronavirus cases had always been a possible source of delay to the reopening, as had been highlighted at public board meetings, and within stakeholder briefings and statements to the press.