Fears of overspending as more staff are hired
A DECISION to draft in four new consultants to a Swansea A&E department at a rumoured cost of £600,000 a year has been criticised.
Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board said the step to bring in extra consultants in acute medicine and extra additional nursing staff was designed to boost patient care and improve the Morriston Hospital service.
The decision was taken following a £1 million investment into emergency services, £350,000 is being poured into a new spinal and head injury ward and £700,000 into a new multi-speciality assessment ward, to be called the Clinical Decision Unit (CDU).
It comes at a time when ABM University Health Board was £7.8 million overspent in the first three months of the new financial year.
A Morriston health worker, who did not wish to be named, said: "They are proposing to appoint another four emergency consultants here in Morriston.
"They will earn more than £100,000 a year plus they have other costs and will be paid a superannuation.
"It will be at least £600,000 in total, they were meant to be saving cash.
"The moving of Singleton casualty up here to Morriston was meant to be cost neutral."
Latest Assembly figures show Morriston Hospital's A&E department has made just a slight improvement in its target time of seeing 80.3 per cent of patients within four hours in July although it still remains the worst performing in Wales.
In June, the figure stood at 80.1 per cent for the same target.
The health worker added: "The performance of the casualty is woeful.
Demand
"Every other casualty in Wales achieved around 90 per cent or more in the four hour target — we are the worst in Wales."
David Sissling, chief executive of ABM University Health Board, said: "The NHS will need to respond to unprecedented financial pressure, new medical technologies, a changing workforce and rising demand.
"Changes will be needed right across ABM to accommodate these demands. We are, however, focussing additional attention and investment in areas where we particularly need to improve quality and performance.
"A good example relates to emergency care in Swansea.
"We are investing over £1 million in new doctors, nurses and other staff, to enable reduced waiting times in the Morriston A&E department and enhance patient flow.
"Assurances have been given that there are no plans for compulsory redundancies.
"We are, however, making sure job vacancies are necessary before they are advertised, to ensure resources are being used wisely."
elizabeth.perkins@swwmedia.co.uk
5 Comments
by Paul S, Swansea
Thursday, August 26 2010, 12:19PM
“I for one am delighted to see investment in Swansea's A&E department. It is certainly not before time.
Can we please have less of the sniping from un-named "health workers" who are clearly only interested in their own jobs than patient care.”
by J, Swansea
Thursday, August 26 2010, 11:25AM
“Stating that there will be no compulsory redundancies is ridiculous too. I appreciate that this has been fed down from WAG and is not the decision of the Trust but it is unworkable, unmanageable and will mean wasted expense keeping people on the books who are strictly speaking not needed. If there are redundancies to be made, let them make them.”
by J, Swansea
Thursday, August 26 2010, 11:22AM
“I agree 100% with Mel. This paper is constantly slating the Trust for the waiting times in A&E and any other department. Now it is recruiting staff to improve the service, that is also being criticised. At least all of the investments mentioned are medical services not admin and management. For God's sake, give them a break. Council's turn next week is it?”
by Mel, Swansea
Thursday, August 26 2010, 8:53AM
“I forgot to add that in Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, which runs the A&E department at the University Hospital of Wales, 38% of patients met the target. In Abertawe Bro Morgannwg (ABM) University Health Board, the figure was 64%.
I obtained this information from the Western Mail.”
by Mel, Swansea
Thursday, August 26 2010, 8:48AM
“Just what is the story here? The Evening Post is forever printing stories about delays at A&E and then seems to be upset that consultants are being drafted in to improve matters. The unnamed health worker should concentrate on doing their job instead of running off the press every two minutes.
As for Evening Post, I think they need to decide if they actually support the concept of a major trauma centre at Morriston. Or is the question too difficult for the health correspondent?”