A BIG-hearted Redditch couple say they and their family have been left high and dry by health chiefs moving emergency surgery from the Alexandra Hospital to Worcestershire Royal.
Rob and Maggie Underwood have lived in fear of the day their children need emergency care since their two eldest, Charlotte and Craig, passed away.
Four of their youngsters suffer from a rare condition, known as vascular Ehlerf-Danlos syndrome, which could result in catastrophic internal bleeding and which has already claimed the lives of their two elder siblings.
“We’ve been told that if something happens we need to get them to accident and emergency as soon as possible – at least within 15 minutes – so they can be pumped with blood to keep them alive until a vascular surgeon gets there,” said Maggie.
“We live two minutes from the Alex but we’ve been told to take then to Worcestershire Royal, at least 30 minutes away.”
The couple, who run the Charlotte and Craig Saving Hearts Foundation, have devoted their lives to putting lifesaving defibrillators into schools, community halls, and public venues.
Rob, who gave testimony at the Redditch Borough Council Health Commission, acknowledges theirs is a unique case but firmly believes lives will be lost by the decision to move all emergency surgery to Worcester.
“They haven’t got a clue. What happens if there’s an emergency in the town?” he said.
“Are my children’s lives being put at risk by this move? Yes, 100 per cent. Will I hold them accountable? Absolutely.
“We have lawyers backing us up because we have already lost two children and with this move we are going to lose more.
“We need A&E, we need blood transfusion, here, in this town, not in Worcester.”
A spokesperson for Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust said: “Taking the emergency decision to temporarily move inpatient children’s services from the Alexandra Hospital to Worcestershire Royal Hospital was not one that was taken lightly and we recognise there will be a cause for concern for some.
“A national shortage of doctors and difficulties in attracting doctors to fill vacant posts meant we were unable to provide specialist paediatric doctor inpatient 24/7 cover on two sites.
“Children who are seriously ill and attend via ambulance or are referred by their GP will be seen and assessed by expert paediatric teams at Worcestershire Royal.”
A consultation is currently taking place into the future of acute hospital services in Worcestershire. Under plans put forward by local GPs and the acute trust major emergencies and surgery, which has already moved to Worcester, will be confirmed as staying there, along with maternity and overnight children’s care.
