Hospital is so short staffed, it calls in the Army

Pontefract Hospital, part of the Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust closed its casualty department between 10.00pm and 8.00am on November 1st, due to a shortage in doctors.

Much criticism has been made of the decision to close the A&E department at night. Which has resulted in the hospital approaching the Army and asking them to provide medics to cover nighttime shifts in the Accident & Emergency department.

The Trust’s proposed solution has been described as “Deeply worrying”. The actions of the Trust follow a similar move from a Trust in Staffordshire, which appealed to the Army for help last year.

A spokesperson for the Trust commented that the Trust recognised the priority at present for the Army Medical Service is the lives and the health of soldiers and Army personnel overseas.

Linder Myers Solicitors has a specialist clinical and medical negligence team who have undertaken numerous claims and investigations into negligent Accident & Emergency care.

For further information on the expertise of Linder Myers in dealing with the issue raised in this article please contact the Medical Negligence Team on 0844 984 6155/6.