‘Budgets before patient care’

Ian Mahady, who left his post as gynaecologist at Burnley General Hospital in December, said patients and top doctors were being "pushed into the background" as targets and the drive to balance budgets took over.

The 64-year-old said: "Patient care is coming last in line for the things management are interested in. They are more interested in balancing their books and meeting Government targets rather than giving services to the patients and listening to the doctors and nursing staff.

"I felt I had to step down. I just felt the trust management were not consulting and listening to the clinicians.

"Clinical opinion is just being ignored. I think it is very sad because patients want to see doctors for their treatment, they don't want to be given a list of something that Government or management say they can have."

Patients were not being treated as individuals but as "case numbers" he said, with consultants told to clear waiting lists without being given the choice over which should be seen first.

The region's top hospital boss today said providing the best services possible was the trust's "highest priority".

But a union leader said many nurses shared his view and staff morale had "hit rock bottom".

Mr Mahady who is to continue running a private clinic at Bank Parade in Burnley said: "There are vast amounts of money being wasted on management, especially junior management. It is unnecessary management of things that don't matter and not enough time is being spent on emergency and urgent patient care."

Mr Mahady, of Manchester Road, Burnley said a controversial review of the trust's services was an example of how consultants were being left in the dark.

Management put forward four options in October prior to a major public consultation to begin next month. "Option three" caused huge controversy by suggesting most emergency work be carried out in either Blackburn or Burnley a move expected to hit Burnley. Mr Mahady said: "We were addressed by the team from management to tell us that option three was the one we should support and that they would like us to all agree to it.

"Most consultants were upset because we thought we were going for a discussion but we were faced with a decision that had already been made."

Trust chief executive Jo Cubbon said: "The trust's highest priority is to provide the best possible services to patients. At the same time the Trust has a statutory responsibility to manage its finances effectively.

"We are in the process of reviewing how we provide our services and no decisions have yet been made."

Tim Ellis, spokesman for union Unison, said: "We know management have to balance the books but we are worried about the financial circumstances of the trust and how it will affect patient care." Caroline Collins, spokeswoman for the Royal College of Nursing, said: "Mr Mahady's comments validate our concerns about the very low morale among staff. It is at rock bottom at the moment."