Fears that Chorley’s Accident & Emergency unit could close again have surfaced among campaigners fighting for a 24/7 service.
According to Protect Chorley Hospital From Cuts And Privatisation sources from the hospital approached the group to tell them that a review of the acute unit could take place in October.
However Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the hospital, has said there are no plans to close the department.
Meanwhile Steve Turner of the protest group says that he has never recieved a “difinitive no“ from bosses at the Trust to alieviate worries that it might shut. He said: “It worries us. We saw similar pattern in 2016 when the A&E was closed. It was especially concerning this time when we got a specific month.”
Last April the unit closed because of a staffing crisis and re-opened on half time hours in January.
There has been a long running campaign to get the Chorley and South Ribble Hospital emergency department re-opened round the clock. current hours of 8am to 8pm.
Activists have also voiced concerns that Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust staff appear to be leaving Chorley Hospital. “Two doctors have left and although we’ve been told that the Trust has doctors to replace them there’s some amount of concern,” said Jenny Hurley, an activist for Protect Chorley Hospital From Cuts And Privatisation.
Article from Chorley Guardian, 1 August 2017