NHS safety fear

Barley Clough Health Centre and Glodwick Health Centre staff complaining over car parks.

NHS staff at Glodwick Primary Care Centre say they fear for their safety if forced to use a new car park.

Workers at the centre have been told they can no longer use the patient car park alongside the health centre in Glodwick Road.

They claim Oldham Primary Care Trust (PCT) has told them to use an alternative car park next to the Barley Clough Medical Centre in Nugget Street.

Any staff vehicles found on the patients’ parking area will be hit with a £60 fine.

Health workers at the centre claim the new ruling will put their safety, as well as the public’s safety, at risk. One worker from the Glodwick Primary Care Centre said a member of reception staff was threatened by four masked men who stole her car at the end of a shift back in August.

She said: “Using the other car park is putting staff at risk, as well as members of the public, if vaccines go missing.

“It is an unsafe area where staff can be seen going to and from the centre. Staff work all hours from early morning to late evenings, and often carry bags of vaccines.”

A four-page petition was sent to PCT chief executive Gail Richards and practice managers met with the PCT two weeks ago, but staff say they have not heard a thing since.

The worker added: “The PCT has a pompous attitude because they won’t discuss it with the people who work here.”

A spokeswoman for the PCT said they had only been made aware of the assault on Friday.

Shauna Dixon, deputy chief executive of Oldham PCT, said: “We have regular meetings with staff at the centre and ways of improving car parking for patients, while making sure staff can still feel safe and secure, have been discussed over the last couple of months.

“We have proposed that staff who arrive, especially early or stay later, use the secure parking on the site and that other staff, who are there during normal working hours, use the car park over the road.

“We have done risk assessments on the new car park, put in excellent lighting and are having it checked by crime prevention officers.

“In an ideal world, we know everyone would love to have their own parking space, but there is only so much room on the site.

“It is vital to us that staff are safe and secure and also that patients can get to park near the centre.

“Of course we will continue to monitor the situation and will do our very best to make sure it meets everyone’s requirements.”