Moving services from Bridlington to Scarborough ‘worst possible outcome’ for patients and staff

Plans to close Bridlington Community Unit, which provides elderly care, would result in the ‘worst possible outcome for patients and staff’, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today.

York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has written to more than 50 impacted staff announcing consultations on the proposed closure.

The cost cutting measures would result in elderly patients being transferred to Scarborough, with nurses and healthcare assistants facing redundancy or transfer to York or Scarborough.

As well as leaving Bridlington without vital health services, the closure would rack up huge costs as patients would need to be transferred back and forth from Scarborough by taxi.

Shutting down the ward would also cause huge pressure on Scarborough Hospital, which is already facing crippling bed shortages.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “These disastrous plans would result in the worst possible outcome for patients and staff. The short-term savings would not outweigh the long terms costs and are further evidence of York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals treating Bridlington’s health services as a poor relation. Unite stands firm in demanding the trust rows back.”

Bridlington Hospital has suffered years of cuts to services – despite being one of the region’s most modern hospitals at just 30 years old.

Many of the hospital’s wards are standing empty, resulting in patients being forced to making 50-mile round trips to Scarborough or 80-mile rounds trips to York.

The current proposals would make the situation even worse, leaving Bridlington’s elderly patients stranded with their relatives having to travel miles to visit them. They would also leave transferred workers facing overly long commutes before and after their shifts, with the risk of exhaustion putting them and their patients at risk.

Unite regional officer Chris Daly said: “These plans are deeply unpopular with workers, patients and the people of Bridlington and are totally unacceptable. Unite will be providing maximum support to our members in fighting to save these vital health services.”

ENDS

For media enquires ONLY contact senior Unite communications officer Ryan Fletcher on 07849 090215 or 020 3371 2065.

Email: ryan.fletcher@unitetheunion.org

Unite is Britain and Ireland’s largest union with members working across all sectors of the economy. The general secretary is Sharon Graham.