Families have been left 'devastated' after major planned changes propose to close down a 'lifeline' ward at Alder Hey Children's Hospital. The hospital trust is understood to be proposing a major change over its 4C general paediatrics medical ward that cares for a number of young patients with complex needs. Staff were reportedly left 'heartbroken' after they were told the ward in its current form was, essentially, being closed down.
Some 75 nurses, healthcare assistants, catering staff and ward managers will be redeployed elsewhere. Alder Hey chiefs said it was wrong to say the ward was being closed down, and said the proposals will 'redesign the way care is delivered' on Ward 4C, 'changing it from an inpatient ward to an extended Paediatric Assessment Unit/Emergency Decision Unit and Same Day Emergency Care Unit.'
But this will be of little comfort to Aliesha Morley, 29, who has viewed Ward 4C as a lifeline for the past two years. Following the birth of her daughter, who was born with a range of complex needs, the family have spent many hours on Ward 4C and built strong relationships with teams working there.
Aliesha, from Lydiate, Merseyside, told the Liverpool ECHO: 'Alora was first admitted to Alder Hey when she was 10 days old. She then spent a long period of time there, about five months straight on ward 4C, then we got discharged and we have been back there every six weeks since.'
The young mum said her daughter, now two, has a 'unique' range of complex needs that left doctors struggling to find the underlying causes, but says the family have taken great comfort from how well she was looked after on 4C. She said: 'The nurses on 4C know all this and they know every little change with her when it happens and all her needs. When we get admitted we don't have to go through everything because the staff know her so well. In the past we have been admitted to a different ward and then moved back to 4C because the nurses just don't know her well enough and it was putting her at risk. That ward has been a very big part of our lives.'
'It's not just the nurses, even down to the chefs on the ward who know about her allergies. Everyone there knows Alora and what she needs and that has been so important for us. I literally don't think I would have been able to cope without them all. They have gone above and beyond every single time for us,' she added.
Aliesha said she learned about the changes this week and was left devastated. She added: 'Alora had a hospital appointment on Wednesday and that's when I found out. It was really upsetting, the negative effect this could have on my daughter and my family is crazy. We are supposed to put trust in these people and we have built that trust up for two years, I don't know how you can just say, we will go and put that trust in someone who doesn't know her and doesn't know her needs. This really is the last thing I needed. It is just horrendous and will make me very anxious when taking her to hospital now. It's come as a complete shock to the whole family.'
In an updated statement, a spokesperson for Alder Hey said: 'Alder Hey is consulting on proposals to redesign the way care is delivered on Ward 4C, changing it from an inpatient ward to an extended Paediatric Assessment Unit/Emergency Decision Unit and Same Day Emergency Care Unit. They are part of wider plans to ensure Alder Hey continues to meet the needs of children and young people, with more care now delivered through rapid assessment and same-day emergency care pathways, reducing the need for overnight hospital stays. The proposals include reconfiguring Ward 4C in a different area, where children and young people requiring inpatient admission will continue to receive high-quality, specialised care at Alder Hey. Patient safety and quality of care remain our priority, and no colleagues will lose their jobs as part of this process; there are no planned redundancies or changes to grading. Colleagues will be redeployed to roles across the Trust and will be fully supported throughout the consultation and transition process, including any additional training required. We are committed to working alongside families and staff throughout this consultation process to ensure that any proposed changes are implemented safely, that continuity of care is maintained, and that colleagues are fully supported.'
