Local MP Graham Brady claims the downgrading of Wythenshawe Hospital “poses a threat to patient safety” and says he would be calling for a review “as a matter of urgency”.
The hospital was yesterday overlooked as the last of four “super hospitals” to provide emergency surgery in the area.
As part of the Healthier Together review carried out by NHS bosses, doctors voted unanimously to add Stepping Hill Hospital in Stockport to Manchester Royal Infirmary, Salford Royal and Royal Oldham.
The four hospitals will now get increased consultant cover and will specialise in “emergency medicine and general surgery for patients with life threatening conditions”.
But Graham Brady, MP for Altrincham and Sale West, said: “Wythenshawe Hospital is an outstanding acute hospital providing some world–leading services. It is the region’s transplant centre, has the North West Lung Centre and world class cardiac services.
“It leads in research on medicines and is our major trauma centre, located adjacent to Manchester Airport where any reasonable person would want it.
Below: Local MP Graham Brady
“Senior clinicians at Wythenshawe have told me that the downgrading of the hospital poses a threat to patient safety and that removing general surgery will slowly kill the most important acute services.
“Wythenshawe is a centre of excellence and should be improved further not downgraded. Any decision to the contrary demonstrates that the consultation has been poor and the decision-making process is flawed. I will be calling for this to be reviewed as a matter of urgency.”
The changes mean that Altrincham residents requiring emergency medicine and specialist abdominal surgery procedures will be taken to Manchester Royal Infirmary.
Wythenshawe will however continue to specialise in heart, lung, vascular, breast cancer and plastic surgery.
A minimum of 12 hours of consultant cover in A&E will be provided in the four super hospitals seven days a week, with a consultant surgeon and anaesthetist present for all high risk general surgical operations.
Medics claim the changes could save up to 300 lives a year, with an extra 35 consultants recruited across A&E and general surgery in Greater Manchester.
