Diane Whittingham takes over today as the new interim boss of University Hospital South Manchester NHS Foundation Trust which runs Wythenshawe Hospital.
The temporary appointment follows the resignation of the Trust’s previous chief executive, Dr Attila Vegh, days before a judgment rejecting a bid to overturn plans to remove general surgery from the hospital in a shake up of the NHS. Continue reading “New boss takes over at Wythenshawe Hospital”
Junior doctors at Wythenshawe Hospital are among thousands throughout the country taking part in a national strike over pay and conditions.
Hospital bosses have assured patients plans are in place to ensure that anyone needing urgent or emergency care will be seen as soon as possible.
Continue reading “Wythenshawe Hospital junior doctors join national strike”
Coronation Street star and comedian, Ted Robbins made an emotional plea to health bosses to reverse a decision to downgrade Wythenshawe hospital, speaking in front hundreds of residents and campaigners.
Mr Robbins recounted how he received lifesaving treatment at the hospital after collapsing on stage the Phoenix Nights show.
And now, the hospital is to lose its specialist status for general surgery, prompting staff and the local residents to launch a “Keep Wythenshawe Special” campaign which has included a legal challenge to the decision and a march from Newall Green School to the town centre.
Mr Robbins, who is currently playing eccentric Mary’s love interest in the soap, told the crowd: “I am having a wonderful life now. I’ve filmed my first scenes with Rita and Norris in the Kabin and none of that would have been possible without that incredible team at Wythenshawe Hospital.
Consultant surgeon, Andrew Macdonald, said a decision on the outcome of the campaign’s legal challenge is due on Monday (November 9) and is expected to give leave for a judicial review to examine the arguments against the plan.
Mr Macdonald told the Reporter the removal of general surgery would be a major health and safety issue. He said: “What has happened is totally unfair. The people who made this decision carried a consultation process and then moved the goal posts. But we are now hopeful there will be a court hearing some time in December.”
Hundreds of residents and campaigners marched into Haletop Civic Centre led by a local Irish pipe band where Labour’s Wythenshawe MP Mike Kane Stretford and Urmston’s Kate Green and Altrincham Tory MP Graham Brady addressed the crowd.
Campaigners against plans to downgrade Wythenshawe Hospital so it is no longer a specialist site for general surgery will be on the march on Saturday (November 7).
The Keep Wythenshawe Special Campaign which has cross-party support will be staging a march and protest rally, backed by doctors, nurses and other staff from the hospital as well as local residents, councillors and MPs.
The protest is in response to what campaigners believe is a flawed decision by the Greater Manchester Healthier Together process, which chose not to have Wythenshawe Hospital as a specialist site for general surgery.
Wythenshawe’s Labour MP, Mike Kane, will be speaking at a rally in Wythenshawe Town Centre together with Stretford and Urmston’s Kate Green and Altrincham and Sale West’s Tory MP, Graham Brady.
Mr Kane said: “We hope that local community groups, churches, councillors, children and families will come together and join us in a march from Newall Green Primary school (meeting at 11am) to Wythenshawe Town Centre.”
The march will be followed by a rally at 1pm in Wythenshawe Town Centre (just in front of costa coffee).
Wythenshawe people are urged to be good neighbours and look in on the elderly during the Christmas holiday period to ease pressure on hospital A&E departments.
Health bosses have warned that loneliness and isolation can increase the risk of emergency hospital admissions and people are more likely to report health problems in good time if they have someone to talk to. Continue reading “Be a good neighbour and look in on the elderly this Christmas say health bosses”
