[14
SEP 00] FUEL PROTESTS
No Crisis For Local Hospitals On Red Alert
While there is
a Red Alert across the NHS, hospitals in Coventry and
Warwickshire are operating almost as normal.
Getting staff
to work is the main problem affecting hospitals in the area, but
there is plenty of fuel to keep the building going for weeks.
The Walsgrave
NHS Trust said ‘only a handful’ of staff have been unable to
make it to work, and in Warwick staff have got together to pool
lifts to get in.
At Walsgrave,
some non–emergency appointments have been postponed because of
a lack of fuel to get patients to the hospital, but the service
is still available if the patients can get there some other way.
More than 100
appointments have been put back so far as ambulances are able to
pick up about half the normal number of patients for routine
appointments at Walsgrave.
They are being
prioritised, giving people in most need a lift to hospital. In
Warwick, ambulances are working normally to collect people.
It is a similar
case at the Coventry and Warwickshire and Rugby St Cross
hospitals, where the cause of concern is getting staff to work.
Hospitals are working at full strength when staff arrive.
The Walsgrave
site is well stocked with fuel and supplies, and deliveries are
largely unaffected so far.
With Travel
West Midlands operating a full service, and not expecting fuel
supply problems till the middle of next week, there are plenty
of buses serving the hospital.
Paul Elkin,
deputy chief executive of the Walsgrave NHS Trust, said this
morning:
“We have
enough fuel for heating and lighting for weeks.
“The
ambulance service is running about half of the non-emergency
journeys to get people here for appointments.
“About 100
to 150 appointments who would normally come in for
appointments are being contacted to see that we are working
normally if they can get here some other way.
“We are
constantly reviewing the situation. I would say staff are
finding it more difficult to get to work, and that is our main
concern.”
Peter Tolhurst
at Warwick Hospital said:
“We are
running a normal service. Operations and outpatients clines
are running as normal.
“The main
effect has been the staff, but they have been marvellous. We
have changed some rotas and most are getting in as normal.
“They have
been sharing lifts and in a few cases we have been to collect
staff who just would not be able to get in otherwise.
“We are
hearing changing stories all the time about what is going to
happen next. So far our deliveries have been coming in as
normal.”
CWN
FUEL PROTEST STORIES
|
