Accy Vic closure 'to cause A&E carnage' councillors claim

They have also claimed it was done regardless of its impact on the 'carnage' of Royal Blackburn accident and emergency waiting times. 

Accrington Victoria does not have an emergency department, instead a minor injuries unit, and ELHT has said main services will remain in the town at other sites.

ELHT has also reaffirmed the four major services - including the MIU - will remain in Accrington, and said despite spending millions on the hospital it is beyond repair and dangerous for patients and staff.

The allegations came from Labour councillors Paul Cox and Andrew Clegg as Hyndburn Council resolved to write to Health Secretary Wes Streeting urging him to block the closure of the historic community health hub.

Its full meeting on Thursday passed a motion calling on East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust (ELHT) to pause its plan to shut the 30-year-old hospital.

The resolution was proposed by Milnshaw ward's Labour councillors Paul Cox and Andrew Clegg and called for renewed investment in the building instead.

Last month the trust announced it was to shut Accrington Victoria Hospital because of safety fears, with ELHT saying the building was no longer fit for purpose.

Cllr Paul Cox made the allegations against ELHT Cllr Cox and Cllr Clegg said the closure had been rushed through by the trust "which had vans emptying the building within days" of the announcement.

ELHT has said the hospital in Haywood Road, was in a "critical condition" and "beyond repair" but that main services would remain in the town for local people.

Cllr Cox told the meeting: "This issue is quite and emotive one for me as this hospital is the most iconic part of my ward.

"EHLT have been wanting to close this hospital for decades. The crucial services have been eked away.

"We have seen hundreds of people waiting long times in long queues to be seen at the Royal Blackburn Hospital accident and emergency department.

"The last thing it needs is the closure of Accrington Victoria. Instead, we need investment in it."

Councillors claimed the closure could increase pressure on Blackburn's A&E Cllr Cox added that pressure on the Royal Blackburn would only grow with thousands of new homes being built in the area - a point echoed by the borough's housing boss Cllr Melissa Fisher.

Cllr Clegg said: "Our hospital has been systematically allowed to decay.

"The closure had been rushed to put us on the back foot. Everything has been shipped out.

"What is the impact of this closure going to be on the carnage that is the Royal Blackburn A&E department?

"What is it going to do to waiting times there?

"We need a fully functioning hospital. The Royal Blackburn is broken."

The council's Conservative group leader Cllr Zak Khan said: "We fully support this motion."

His predecessor in the job Cllr Marlene Haworth said: "This town needs a hospital."

The authority's Labour leader Cllr Munsif Dad said: "Accrington Victoria is hugely important.

"We need to put pressure on ELHT to keep GP surgery, minor injuries unit and X-ray department so we don't lose its vital services in the long run."

Martin Hodgson, chief executive of East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “I have already said how sorry we are that we’re moving out of Accrington Victoria, but the simple truth is that the building is beyond repair or reconfiguration as a health care facility and we have been unable to keep on top of the immense, routine maintenance required for quite some time.

“Despite investing millions in the building over its 130-year history, large parts of the building are closed, the roof has collapsed in a number of places, it’s full of asbestos and the heating system originally fired by three boilers is down to one, which if it fails simply cannot be repaired.

"It is dangerous to remain there as we run up to winter and, sadly, the building no longer provides the kind of environment we need for patients or our teams. New problems and risks to colleagues and patients are being reported daily.

“Local people do not need to be concerned about losing services. We have made and will honour a commitment that the four main services currently provided at Accrington Victoria will remain just a short distance away at either Accrington PALS in the town centre, Holly House or Acorns in Blackburn Road.

"Those services are the Minor Injuries Unit (MIU), X-Ray, Outpatients and GP services delivered by PWE Healthcare. But until they move, all patient services are still available as normal at Accy Vic.

“Some colleagues who use the site as an office base only have already moved and we are working to relocate other services as quickly as we can to ensure there is minimal disruption to patients and their care and we are working with colleagues across the local authority and wider health and social care system to do this together and provide as much information as we can.

“I would also like to remind people that once the building is vacated, our intention is for local people to be a big part of deciding what comes next for Accrington Victoria and how the hospital site can be protected and regenerated for years to come, as a lasting legacy to the community that owns it.

"The Trust is committed to this and that includes ensuring any redevelopment is sensitive to the physical and historical elements of the site.

"Our aim is to retain the facades and character of the building and bring it back into use for local people.

"One option would be to mirror the Dovestone Gardens facility we have supported in Burnley, which will change the lives of people who live there for the better, but there will be other ideas too.”