SIR – The article concerning the fine imposed on Worcestershire hospitals (Worcester News , July 30) surely raises a lot of questions about the trust management’s ability to do just that – manage.
Emergency admissions – through A&E no doubt – have exceeded the set level.
These admissions must have been because of clinical need on the advice of doctors or consultants presumably.
In other words, not frivolously.
Christine Fearns [director of strategic development at the trust] said: “We can’t actually not look after people who come to our door.”
Really? What is closing an A&E department then? And if numbers are overly high now with two sites, what on earth will it be like when there is only one?
The targets will presumably remain the same, so how much pressure will there be on the clinical staff in A&E to send people home (who at the moment are being admitted) from the hospital board?
What these fines and admission levels clearly show is that there is a clinical need for the current level of A&E provision at the very least.
Yet the board seem to favour closure of one but need to employ someone to do it as thinking it up is one thing, but knowing how to do it is another.
And we should support the bid for foundation trust status? Really?
RICHARD FARRELL-ADAMS
Worcester
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