PRESS RELEASE No Embargo: 19 July 2013 UNISON Joins in Fight for Bedford’s Paediatric Services Today UNISON, the largest UK public services trade union, pledged its support in the community campaign to fight for the future of paediatric services in Bedford. UNISON, along with other NHS trade unions, have been briefed about the situation that the Trusts paediatric services finds itself i...n. Relevant regional full time union officials will be meeting with the acting Chief Executive et al early next week, where it is hoped that more information will be forthcoming. Cheryl Godber, UNISON Eastern Regional Organiser, said today that “It is clear based on the decision to remove junior doctors that the paediatric service could not run safely and that is difficult to argue against. Nobody wants children to be put at risk. However, it’s the issues that led to this decision, the impact on the Bedford community of the removal of services, the impact on staff who will no longer be delivering those services, the wider implications for other services such as the ambulance service and ensuring that the temporary suspension of services is just that – a temporary suspension, that are now of paramount importance. There are a lot of questions to be asked and a lot of answers awaited.” Ms Godber went on to say “On behalf of UNISON members and the local community I have asked the Trust to provide its written plans for the future of the service and how it will deal with the affected staff in the interim. I have been advised by the Trust that there is every intention for a paediatric service to be running in Bedford in the future. However, like many other people, I am concerned that once the service is gone will it ever really return? and that, working jointly with the Bedford community, is one of the main issues that we need to bottom out with the Trust. I, along with local UNISON representatives, have spoken to a number of staff yesterday, both those working in paediatrics and others who see themselves as service users, who have expressed concern about the future of the service. I want to give credit to the staff who are more concerned about the impact of the removal of the service for the children than they are about how it affects them personally – they are the total professionals in this dreadful situation which is not of their own making.” Julie Baker, Chair of the local UNISON Bedford Hospital Branch, also commented on the paediatric issue today: “I have serious concerns about how this situation, relating to service users and the impact of the unit closing, may have on such a vulnerable group in need of local paediatric in-patient care. I also have concerns about the uncertainty our affected members now face about their own job security and what the future holds for them. The seriousness of the situation must not be taken lightly and the far reaching ramifications should the service not return must be considered, particularly in terms of the future of the need for a 24/7 A&E unit in Bedford. I have to ask, that with the talk of a possible merger with Milton Keynes Foundation Trust, has this actually been the agenda all along? The Trust needs to be open and transparent with all stakeholders in this situation. Our members and the community of Bedford need to be reassured at this very worrying time.” - END - MEDIA CONTACTS Cheryl Godber UNISON Regional Organiser 07908 651106 Tracey Lambert UNISON Regional Head of Health 07908 675421 Ian Thomas UNISON Bedford Health Branch Secretary 07584 635817
Posted on: Wed, 24 Jul 2013 08:45:47 +0000
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