WOLVO HOSPITAL 2

THE TRUST REPLIES...

13-02-2007

You're a health trust running a multi-million pound deficit and you've just made dozens of staff redundant. So what do you do next? Why, spend thousands of pounds teachingvoluntarycanteen workers and hospital radio staff how to lift a patient and wash their hands properly.

That's what's happening at the Royal Wolverhampton Hospital Trust anyway.

This is an organisation which only recently cut posts at its main hospital New Cross, and which faces government sanctions for being over-spent - but which is now forcing those who want to give up their time for free to spend a morning in the classroom.

To get one side of the story, read the item directly above this one on the website today - or just click here.

Naturally, there is always another side, and we're always happy to publish it. This is the statement from the Trust'sChief Operating Officer Phil Milligan

"New Cross Hospital wants to ensure that patients receive the best possible care. This means that we need to ensure that all staff and volunteers are trained in some basic elements of hospital life.

"First, patients and the public are worried about hospital acquired infection. We have a duty to ensure that our volunteers know how to wash their hands properly and work with hospital procedures.

"Second, our patients expect their personal details to be kept confidential; again we must ensure that the hospital procedures are known.

"The seminar deals with these and other issues, such as explaining the help and advice available to them.

"Our volunteers have expressed gratitude for the support that we give them on introducing them to the Trust and helping our patients to receive better care."