A TOP hospital chief says Bury's emergency services could collapse because health bosses are spending urgently needed cash in Rochdale.

The intensive care unit at Bury General is at breaking point because of a shortage of doctors.

Bury and Rochdale Health Authority, who buy hospital services on behalf of the public claim they have not got enough money to pay for the extra staff. Yet last week they announced they would fund two extra psychiatrists in Rochdale.

Mr Philip Bacon, chief executive of Bury Health Care NHS Trust, said: "We have just found out that the authority has got money when they said they haven't and that this money will not be coming to Bury.

"We have a completely inadequate number of consultants and were told that as soon as money was available we would get it. The plan to appoint two psychiatrists shows money is available. Why can't it go to Bury's intensive care unit?

"I would like to know why the authority are ignoring the needs of Bury and appointing extra staff in Rochdale when there is a real threat to our emergency services."

Bury's intensive care department urgently needs four consultant anaesthetists - without them it will fall below national guidelines and will have to close. This would inevitably lead to the closure of accident and emergency.

Hospital bosses have been trying to recruit one anaesthetist for the last three years, but nobody wants the job because of the long hours in Bury's shortstaffed department.

The Royal College of Anaesthetists has given the Trust an Easter deadline to make up the numbers otherwise they will withdraw their stamp of approval, effectively closing the department.

Mrs Vera Stringer, a Trust board member said: "I'm appalled that an emergency service such as intensive care is being treated in this way by the health authority. While significant, psychiatry does not carry the same importance as intensive care. If we had to close intensive care the health authority would be jumping up and down in anger." Bury also needs to recruit its own psychiatrist to build up the local service. According to Mr Bacon: "We believe the cash should come to Bury. If they want to put money into psychiatry then why not in Bury?"

The Health Authority say the psychiatrists will be shared between the two towns, but a source close to Rochdale Trust says Rochdale had little interest in working with Bury.

The decision to employ the two doctors is thought to have come as a surprise to the board of Bury Trust who are supposed to be consulted on such decisions.

Mr John Bradley, chairman of Bury Health Care NHS Trust said: "We are skating on thin ice and have been doing so for some time. I sadly feel we are not working together as we should be. The health authority know exactly what the position is yet are doing nothing about it."

Mr Evan Boucher, director of strategic planning at Bury and Rochdale Health Authority said: "We are fully aware of the situation faced by Bury Trust with regard to their staffing issues. Discussion between the Trust and the health authority is continuing regarding the need to improve their staffing within emergency services. We have many pressing problems which have to be addressed within available funds. At the beginning of the financial year, Bury Trust received the highest financial increase of district hospital services."

Mr Bacon has written to the chief executive of the health authority, Mr Richard Popplewell asking him to explain why the money has gone to Rochdale.

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