Sponsored by
'Cancer patients must travel to Bradford' shock
WEST CRAVEN cancer patients who suffer debilitating side-effects from their chemotherapy treatment could find themselves having to travel to Bradford for emergency out-of-hours care in future.
Plans are being made to transfer the in-patient oncology service for patients who develop high temperatures and severe sickness and diarrhoea from Airedale General Hospital to Bradford Royal Infirmary.
Travelling from Barnoldswick or Earby that means an extra 12.5 miles added to the current 14-mile journey - which many feel is unacceptable for someone so sick.
To add to the upset, some patients will still have to call into Airedale on the way to pick up their notes!
Sally Lambert, of BE Bosom Friends cancer support group, and a former cancer sufferer, was one of a number of local people who spoke out this week.
"I ended up staying overnight on Ward 3 at Airedale when I was having chemotherapy as I couldn't stop being ill," she said. "I felt so bad at that stage it would have been horrendous if I had had to travel to Bradford and be treated by doctors who did not know me or my illness. I feel we should be increasing facilities, not splitting them like this, with some based at Bradford and some at Airedale so you always see the same doctors and nurses, which surely aids recovery."
Airedale was one of the top cancer treatment centres when she was diagnosed 11 years ago and remains so today.
"The Government is pushing to improve cancer service provision, but this seems to be going against that policy," she said.
The hospital says extra staff will be drafted on to the day unit treating oncology patients as part of the change.
"But it tends to be in the evening and during the night that symptoms get worse and people feel the need to go into hospital," said Sally, who feared there could be an increased risk of infection with patients transferring between the different units.
Patients suffering from blood-related cancers, such as leukaemia will continue to be treated round the clock at Airedale.
Bridget Fletcher, Director of Nursing at Airedale NHS Trust felt the developments would strengthen cancer services in the area, with the planned increase in the number of doctors enabling patients to have more time with a consultant during their treatment.
"Also as more chemotherapy is now being provided as a day procedure rather than as an in-patient, we are investing money in our HODU (Haematology and Oncology Day Unit) to extend the opening hours and increase staffing," she said.
What do you think? Leave a comment below.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Pendle
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
