Stroke patients not getting right care

HEALTH chiefs have raised concerns over services for stroke patients in Oldham.

Board members from NHS Oldham, which provides health services across the borough, said targets at the Royal Oldham Hospital’s stroke unit were not being met.

A total of 70 per cent of stroke patients should be spending 90 per cent of their time on a stroke unit for treatment.

But November, 2009, figures show only 51 per cent of patients were doing so at the Royal Oldham Hospital. Other sites within the Pennine Acute Trust, which runs the Royal Oldham, have hit the target.

These include 71 per cent of patients at North Manchester General Hospital and 83 per cent of patients at Fairfield Hospital in Bury spending time in a specialist unit.

Alan Higgins is the director of public health for Oldham. He said: “We have put in significant time and effort to achieve improvements and quality of care.

“While services are improving, it is not at a sufficient rate to give us confidence that we will achieve the high quality of care we desire in Oldham.”

Mr Higgins suggested the board should meet members of the Pennine Acute Trust board to discuss the issue.

Councillor Peter Dean, a non-executive director, said: “This might be an appropriate time to engage with them and express our concern on some items.”


Weather praise

STAFF at NHS Oldham were thanked for helping to manage the borough’s health services during the severe winter weather.

Chairman Riaz Ahmad said: “We realise its has been much more difficult to sustain key services and to travel to and from work.

“It’s been a tremendous effort. I know many stories where people have gone the extra mile so others received the treatment they are entitled to. Thanks go to each and every one of our staff.”