MANNING Hospital has spoken out this week to reassure the community that the hospital is well supported by both senior and junior medical staff.
In the same week that it won the prestigious Award for Best Performance for 2007-08 - Major Non-Metropolitan at the NSW Health Awards, hospital management has been forced to defend public claims that it is reducing medical staff.
The Times has received a list of complaints from a member of the public, alleging reductions in doctor numbers meant a greater amount of overtime and unsafe working hours for the remaining doctors at the hospital, which could lead to increased medical errors.
"Hunter New England Area Health Service, because of funding shortages, has reduced the number of doctors it sends to work at Manning Hospital despite requests by the hospital that the number of doctors actually be increased," the informant said.
The informant alleged there were less staff on site to respond to emergency situations, and that delays were occurring to patient admissions and discharges because of the extra work.
It was further alleged that in certain weeks there is only one doctor covering the entire hospital at night, including the emergency department.
The shortage meant there were less training opportunities for the busier junior doctors and less exposure to rural medicine for junior doctors.
"The doctors at the hospital are frustrated and angered by the changes," the informant said, adding that the changes were due to take effect on Monday this week.
"There will be one less doctor working on the surgical team and one less doctor on the intensive care team. There will be no longer separate doctors for the obstetric and paediatric teams; these will be merged. There will not be an extra doctor placed in the emergency department as previously promised," the informant alleged.
Most junior and training doctors at Manning Hospital are seconded from John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle.
They perform many of the day-to-day duties and initial assessments of patients within the hospital - often described as its 'backbone'. The Times informant described them as "overworked".
"Compared to hospitals of similar size (such as Port Macquarie or Maitland), Manning Hospital has significantly less junior doctors - for no particularly good reason.
"The hospital has apparently made appeals to the government body IMET who accredit terms in hospitals for junior and training doctors. This has been to no avail."
Responding to the claims, Manning Hospital general manager, Tim Mooney, said this week that hospitals, like all businesses, must work responsibly within budget.
He refuted suggestions that fewer junior doctors were working.
"In fact compared to November 2007, Manning Hospital has an additional junior doctor working the emergency department and two new resident medical officers (RMOs) working in ICU/wards with a third RMO to start in January."
He said Manning Hospital has also made a major investment in paediatric services over the past two years.
"We have recruited two full time paediatricians and a paediatric registrar will also commence in the new year.
"The obstetric and paediatric teams have always worked closely together and share a resident medical officer. The junior doctor's position in the emergency department is continuing as planned.
"From August 2008, the hospital secured three additional RMOs to work in the ICU, plus provide night-time cover for the wards."
This was a "significant increase" in staffing for the hospital and a "major improvement in patient safety", Mr Mooney said.
"For this term, only two RMOs are available, however the hospital anticipates that the full quota of RMOs will be available from early January 2009."
Mr Mooney said Manning Hospital was very proud of its dedicated staff and this was reflected in it winning the prestigious NSW award last Friday night.
"This award is measured on a range of performance data such as ED triage times, emergency admission performance, rates of falls in hospital, overall care received and net cost of service.
"Manning won against all other hospitals in NSW in this category," he said.