Specialist heart service axed. How can this Tory cut be an improvement?

Last Updated: July 1, 2017By

Manchester Royal Infirmary [Image: Manchester Evening News].

Another NHS service axed – because of an “NHS England review… that had made it impossible to retain or hire staff” – would that be one of the now-infamous “Sustainability and Transformation Plans” (STPs)?

It seems to This Writer that these documents have been produced under a misnomer.

Instead of “Sustainability and Transformation”, I propose that these documents be renamed “Death Of Our Medicine” (DOOM) plans.

After all, that is what they are intended to do – doom us to an eternity of substandard healthcare – unless we can afford to pay for the upgraded service the Tories want to reserve for themselves.

If you can’t – and you voted Conservative on June 8 – you need to ask yourself what you were thinking.

Patients with serious congenital heart conditions have been left reeling after finding out their service is to be axed from Manchester Royal Infirmary.

Central Manchester NHS Foundation Trust has abruptly ended all surgery for adults with the condition due to lack of staffing – meaning those awaiting operations will have to travel up to 150 miles.

CMFT said the lack of staffing at its adult congenital heart service, part of MRI’s heart centre, was the result of an NHS England review into its future that had made it impossible to retain or hire staff.

Source: Manchester Royal Infirmary axes specialist heart service – Manchester Evening News

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No Comments

  1. wildswimmerpete July 1, 2017 at 9:22 pm - Reply

    Frightening. I’ve got a congenital heart defect that in later life manifested itself as congestive heart failure. My life depends on an implanted cardioverter-defibrillator which will need replacing in about 8 years time when the battery expires. At current prices the device costs £20,000 and the price of private treatment (including surgery) is £50,000. Yes, I’m frightened.

  2. PJB July 1, 2017 at 9:23 pm - Reply

    Can these nasty party be forced out.

  3. First Night Design July 1, 2017 at 10:51 pm - Reply

    JesusH. Just my luck if the same thing happens on the Isle of Wight. As it is I’ve got to go to Southampton for a fuller assessment followed by open-heart surgery.

  4. David Young July 2, 2017 at 9:42 am - Reply

    Having just been discharged from Papworth after a serious heart procedure words fail me me when asked to dexcribe this present Tory govt–apart from Anglo Saxon expletives.

  5. Barry Davies July 2, 2017 at 11:30 am - Reply

    STP = Slash trash and privatise.

  6. disabledgrandad July 2, 2017 at 4:45 pm - Reply

    Mike, Chronic pain unit axed in my local hospital (Hastings) due to lack of patients! According to the specialist nurse who is a friend of mine, he had 1500+ people on his books.
    Now having to relies on there overworked GP’s who are not experts. Lucky I haven’t had a crisis yet but when i do, who knows what will happen….

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