A MUM has said she feels let down by health services in the town after being told she will have to travel to Liverpool for her spinal surgery.

Beverley Rourke said she cannot understand why the 'exceptional surgeons' at Warrington Hospital are not being utilised while Warrington North MP Helen Jones has also waded into the debate describing the move as 'underhand'.

The 34-year-old nurse has been suffering with back pain for six-and-a-half-years after being diagnosed with a condition which means one of the vertebrae in her back has slipped.

She added: "I've put up with the pain and waited for a better chance of recovery after having my children but then my consultant said we can't get around it anymore and I would have to have a spinal fusion, fusing two bones in my spine.

"The waiting list is 42 weeks and then I was told it was going to have to be at Walton.

"I understand Walton could be a better place for me to be because I've also got MS but it's another 20 miles away which means 30 to 40 mins in the car which is not good after spinal surgery.

"I have written to my MP and asked my friends to do the same. It's a service that shouldn't be sent 20 miles away when we have got a perfectly good spinal unit in Warrington where the surgeons are exceptional.

"I have paid my taxes all my working life in Warrington and then they tell me I can't have my surgery here."

The mum-of-two to Oliver, aged six, and Alex, aged three, added the last few years had been difficult for her as back pain 'affects everything you do'.

She added: "It's hard enough to have got this far but now I feel like the rug has been pulled from under me and have got no idea if the wait will be even longer for surgery."

Warrington North MP Helen Jones said she would oppose any other services leaving the hospital after complex vascular surgery was moved to Chester following a consultation in 2012. 

A number of people have contacted the MP telling her they were 'very worried' after being told they are being transferred to Walton. 

She added: "They don't want to travel far for their operations and there have been no problem with operations carried out at Warrington. 

"NHS England are behaving in a very underhand manner and trying to move services without a public consultation. 

"This is yet another attempt to downgrade services at Warrington Hospital and I'm very concerned about it." 

A spokesman for Warrington Hospital said there had been a recent change in the way that complex specialist spinal surgery cases are being commissioned by NHS England which meant patients needing complex spinal care have their proposed treatment reviewed by a multi-disciplinary team of consultants and other clinicians at the Walton Centre in Liverpool.

He added: “The multi-disciplinary team, which includes our surgeons from Warrington, will then decide upon a treatment plan.

"This may involve patients being offered treatment at the Walton Centre, at Warrington under the care of our surgeons, or at another centre depending on their individual needs.

“We are working to minimise any inconvenience to our patients and want to assure them that their place in the waiting list will be honoured.

"They will not have to go back to the start of the queue for treatment as part of these changes which are designed to ensure that every patient can access the best treatment for their individual condition.”

A spokesman for NHS England reassured patients all non-complex spinal surgery will continue to be undertaken at Warrington Hospital.
He added: “In line with other parts of the country, north west commissioners are working with partners to better align specialised services to meet nationally consistent standards, developed from the best clinical evidence available. 

"Clinicians at Warrington Hospital are working closely with NHS England and the Walton Centre in ensuring all local patients requiring specialised spinal surgery receive the most appropriate clinical care in the most appropriate location to achieve the best possible outcomes.

“As a result of discussions between these clinical experts, there may be changes to an individual patient’s original care pathway.

"Whilst we understand that this may cause some concern to individuals, we are working with both trusts to ensure that services are provided in the best way possible and that this does not affect continuity of care for patients. 

"Clinicians are having individual conversations with patients who may be affected by these changes.”

Have you had to travel to Chester for vascular surgery in the past two years?
Then let health reporter Hannah Bargery know.
You can e-mail her on hannah.bargery@nqnw.co.uk or call 434112.