Stafford hospital crisis: Children's minor injuries care returns for first time in over a month
Minor injuries treatment for children returns to County Hospital today for the first time since emergency care for under 18s was suspended more than a month ago.
The unit will be able to deal with children aged 15 and under suffering with head and limb injuries, wounds, sprains, bruises and fractures.
Following a visit to Southmead Hospital in Bristol to inspect their set-up, County Hospital bosses have decided 16 and 17-year-olds can now be seen in the main adult A&E.
More than 6,700 people have backed the Express & Star's campaign for full child emergency services to be reinstated as soon as possible. At this stage University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM) has stated it will not make a decision until January, because it is waiting for the Royal College of Paediatricians and Child Health to review services and make formal recommendations as to whether County Hospital can accommodate critical child cases.
Services were suspended on August 25 after being declared 'clinically unsafe' due to the lack of trained staff in resuscitation and anaesthetics.
The E&S petition can be signed here
The move has prompted a backlash from Support Stafford Hospital campaigners and politicians.
Distressed parents have told of their ordeals at turning up to Weston Road only to be sent up to Royal Stoke or hospitals in the Black County more than 15 miles away.
The trust has stated the minor injuries unit will be able to cater for 80 per cent of the patients it was seeing before and are anticipating up to 30 children a day to return to the service. The governing body at UHNM was set to meet this afternoon at a public meeting in Royal Stoke where the ongoing situation was due to be a hot topic.
Meanwhile Healthwatch Staffordshire has begun collating feedback from parents and children affected by the temporary closure and have urged anyone with relevant experiences to get in touch.
