Royal Oldham patients face Tameside transfer

A PATIENT of Oldham’s specialist dermatology service says she will be unable to get vital weekly care after the shock announcement that the service is to close next month.
The woman currently has treatment three times a week at the Royal Oldham Hospital’s dermatology department. The service will close on January 31 and transfer to Tameside Hospital.

Health bosses say the arrangement is temporary due to a shortage of dermatology consultants - but can’t say if and when things would get back to normal.

A spokesman for Oldham Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) said the organisation was reviewing options to ensure patients will continue to receive care after January 31.

The service will be considered in a review of long-term services due to start in the New Year.

The worried patient said: “I was absolutely gutted to hear about the closure and that things will be run at Tameside. I simply couldn’t afford to make the trip three times a week. I can’t speak highly enough about the service at Oldham.”

The patient urged Chronicle readers to write to their local MP and ask them to fight to save the service.