The LINk Calls for Patient Feedback After Night-time Closure of Stafford A&E

Feb. 1, 2012 - PRLog -- Staffordshire patients are being urged to have their say about the night-time closure of accident and emergency facilities at Stafford Hospital.

Staffordshire Local Involvement Network (LINk), which monitors and co-ordinates health and social service user feedback across the county, made the appeal after it emerged the department would not re-open fully on March 1 as planned.

Stafford’s A&E department has been shut between 10pm and 8am since December 1 after hospital managers struggled to attract enough medical staff to cover the shift. Patients have been diverted to New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton, Walsall Manor Hospital, Queens Hospital in Burton and the University Hospital of North Staffordshire in Stoke-on-Trent.

It is not known exactly when the unit will reinstate its night-time service.

Now managers at Staffordshire LINk are asking Staffordshire residents to tell them how the closure has affected them – or if it has not affected them at all.

Jackie Owen, Staffordshire LINk manager, said: “The more opinions we have, the more patients can bring about the changes they want to see and preserve the services that are most important to them.

“The LINk provides an ideal opportunity for service users to have their opinions and experiences heard – whether those experiences have been good, bad or indifferent.”

Anyone with feedback about the night-time closure of Stafford Hospital’s A&E facilities can get in touch with Staffordshire LINk via www.staffordshirelink.org.uk, by calling 01785 887990 or by emailing enquiries@staffordshirelink.staffs.com

Earlier this month (JAN) it was reported that 2,487 individuals and organisations became involved with Staffordshire LINk last year, compared with 257 the year before – a rise of 877 per cent.

Staffordshire LINk investigates the views of patients and social care users across the county and makes recommendations aimed at improving services.

It also has powers to visit the premises of any NHS or council-funded service providers, such as hospitals and care homes, under its Enter and View programme. Only children’s social services are excluded.

As part of Enter and View, trained observers canvas service user opinions and come up with suggestions for improvements. Health and social care providers have to respond to those suggestions and outline what actions will be taken.

ENDS

Press release issued by David Johnson at Shepherd PR. For more information, or to arrange an interview, please call 01335 368020.

Notes to Editors

Staffordshire LINk actively pursues health and social care service user feedback.

The information is used to help shape service delivery – making the LINk a vital catalyst for positive change in Staffordshire.

Staffordshire LINk is funded through, but is independent of, Staffordshire County Council.

It covers services provided across the county council area. Stoke-on-Trent is covered by a separate LINk.

Staffordshire LINk is based at Staffordshire Technology Park in Stafford and it is run by volunteers and employees who are specially-trained or who have experience in health and social care provision.

Experts from Staffordshire LINk are available to comment on health and social care issues affecting Staffordshire residents.