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It is regarded as one of Manchester’s biggest institutions and a forefront when it comes to cancer care around the world, but health inspectors have downgraded The Christie after concerns were raised about its working culture.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) said The Christie NHS Foundation Trust 'requires improvement' in safety and leadership after finding that staff 'did not always feel listened to'.
While the hospital’s level of care to patients was rated as ‘good’, the watchdog found that 'senior executives were heavily invested in the promotion and protection of the trust’s reputation', which 'impacted negatively' on some staff.
Inspectors visited the hospital in October and November last year following concerns over the 'culture and senior leadership of the trust'. An NHS England review published last year found the trust had been 'defensive and dismissive' when staff raised concerns about a £20m research project and bullying.
The watchdog also found that The Christie 'did not always manage medicines well' while staff 'did not always complete and review risk assessments for patients in a timely manner'.
In better findings, the recent CQC inspection highlighted an 'outstanding practice' at the trust, and praised its research which had ‘improved outcomes’ for cancer patients. It also said 'staff treated patients with compassion and kindness, respected their privacy and dignity, took account of their individual needs, and helped them understand their conditions'.
The CQC's northern operations director Ann Ford said: "Although the trust had made some changes to improve the culture, more work needs to be done to address the issues we identified."
The Christie’s chief executive said the trust was ‘working hard to make the improvements’ and to ensure ‘all our staff feel supported and valued’.
In today's Mancunain Way, we'll also be looking at Eurovision fever, the reaction to TransPennine Express being brought under government control, and the bit of Oldham history lost forever.
'Irreversibly diminished'
A church in Oldham with a rich musical and cultural history has been torn down in a move which has been described as a ‘wasteful’ act by the Victorian Society.
St John's Church in Werneth, which was founded in 1844 and consecrated the year later, was demolished earlier this week following a decision by Oldham Council that the vacant building could attract vandals and "blight" the area.
Rachel Adams, communications manager for the National Churches Trust, said she feared the move would set a ‘dangerous precedent’ based on ‘unbased fears’ of future vandalism.
“We are deeply disappointed that the demolition of St John's in Werneth has gone ahead,” Ms Adams said. She added: “The building could have been restored and used for other purposes and to benefit the wider community.
“Preserving historic buildings – such as St John’s – is important for safeguarding our heritage, so that generations of people can enjoy them for years to come."
The Victorian Society criticised the decision to bulldoze the building and said that the font and stained glass had been lost forever.
James Hughes, a senior conservation adviser at the society, said: “This is a local council that has made a decision that sets a bad example for others — demolishing an unlisted heritage building rather than reusing it sensitively. Oldham’s historic environment has been forever and irreversibly diminished.”
You can read the full story from Neal Keeling here.
Sorrow to safety
M.E.N reporter Hakim Hafazalla wrote a touching piece three weeks ago about how his family was trapped in a military coup in Sudan - describing his despair after war broke out in the north east African country.
“The last few weeks have been arguably the most stressful of my life,” Hakim wrote. “Waking up every day with an uneasy feeling about the fate of your family and the people of your country grew exhausting.”
At least 600 people have died in the conflict, with thousands more injured. Hakim’s family, including his dad Elmugiera, had visited the country for a wedding and were left with little options to leave.
“For over two weeks, my family has been making plans on how to leave the warzone - a perilous journey that would present many risks,” Hakim explains. “There were a few options. Some destinations such as Egypt, Ethiopia and Port Sudan would be safer than others.
“These were the most viable options for my dad as he could then be evacuated. However, he needed to take into consideration the length of the trip and whether he knew anyone in the said destinations.”
Another option was Port Sudan, a city bordering on the Red Sea in Sudan which has become a refuge for those fleeing the conflict in Khartoum and Omdurman. It is where Elmugiera ultimately decided to head, as he wanted to check in on family there.
Hakim said: “The journey itself would take around half a day by car, give or take an hour or two. It did not sit right with me.
“I felt so much uneasiness knowing that it would probably be one of the most dangerous journeys that my family would have to undertake. The risk of them coming across an RSF member or soldier and their disregard for human life terrified me to my core even though I believed they would be okay.”
Hakim’s dad has now made it to Port Sudan, and while he said he now has relief for his family, it has ‘just put everything into perspective’.
You can read Hakim’s story on his dad’s journey escaping a military coup here.
Off the rails
It was announced yesterday that TransPennine Express is being relieved of its duties later this month and a Government Operator of Last Resort (OLR) will take over the franchise. It will lead to the nationalisation of services on more than a dozen routes across northern England and parts of Scotland.
Passengers say the move comes following 'continuous cancellations' in recent months, with hundreds of services being axed on the night before they were due to run.
M.E.N reporter Stephen Topping visited Manchester Victoria train station to talk to customers and find out their thoughts on the announcement. John Booth, who arrived from Blackburn with wife Sue Rourke, said: "If it's on time it's great. It's when it's not on bloody time it's a problem, or there's a cancellation, or leaves on the line, and it disrupts everything."
Mohammad Shaib, from Rochdale, added: "It's the delays more than anything, that's about it. I can't say anything good about it. The prices are always rising, they go on strike every few weeks.”
Other passengers said the problem is not exclusive to TransPennine Express and more rail operators needed to be held accountable.
Commenting on the Government decision, Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham tweeted: "As Mayors, we have spoken up consistently for long-suffering rail passengers in the North.
"I am glad the Government has listened. We will now work with them to restore trust in train services and build a railway people can rely on."
Far from the perfect View
Indie band The View’s gig at the Deaf Institute made headlines for all the wrong reasons earlier this week when frontman Kyle Falconer threw a punch towards bass player Kieren Webster halfway through the set.
The incident, which also saw the main singer make death threats to his bandmate, led to shock from fans and has led to a London date as part of the ‘comeback’ tour being cancelled.
Posting on Twitter, the band has now said: “Sorry to the fans at our show in Manchester and everywhere else that we've upset - we had a brotherly bust-up that went too far, and we cannae wait to get back to touring in November and throughout the festival season with yous lot.”
Some felt the statement played down events, with one fan responding: “This is the most publicity you've had in your entire lives. I forgot you guys even existed until yesterday."
Douze points
The grand final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 will take place in Liverpool on Saturday night. Amongst the madness will include a ‘haunted’ piano, Croatia’s answer to the Village People, a cult folklore ritual and, naturally, an ode to the ghost of Edgar Allan Poe.
The UK will be represented by Mae Muller, who will be hoping to replicate Sam Ryder’s second place success from last year. The event will be hosted by Alesha Dixon, Julia Sanina, and Game of Thrones’ star Hannah Waddingham. Graham Norton will, of course, be on hand to commentate, and will be sharing duties with the wonderful Mel Giedroyc.
The contest has already featured two semi-finals which saw thousands flock to the M&S Bank Arena, and even more attend the Eurovision Village for concerts and screening parties.
I was lucky enough to be able to attend the first semi-final on Tuesday and got to really soak up the atmosphere in Liverpool. The city has really taken the contest, which is being held in honour of last year’s winners Ukraine, to heart and is giving it the love and attention it deserves.
Here in Manchester, Piccadilly Gardens will be screening the event live from 8pm with more than 5,000 people expected to attend. There will be plenty of other screenings and events taking place across Manchester too.
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Weather etc
Saturday temperatures: Sunny intervals throughout the day. 20C.
Road closures: M67 Eastbound entry slip road closed due to long-term roadworks at J2 A57 Hyde Road (Denton). Until December 1, 2025.
Train strikes: A number of train strikes are taking place. On Saturday, members of the RMT union will be taking industrial action which is expected to cause secere disruption to many services.
Trivia question: The UK last hosted Eurovision back in 1998, but which city held the event?
Headlines
A wild night: Chester Zoo will host a late night outdoor cinema with live entertainment and, of course, a chance to see animals and explore the zoo after dark. Ellie Trigg, Chester Zoo’s customer development manager, said Chester Zoo is a ‘totally different place as the sun starts to set’.
Halted: A production of The King and I at the Palace Theatre on Thursday evening had to be halted for a short moment following a ‘medical incident’. The cast were ushered off the stage mid-performance whilst staff addressed the matter.
Record-signer: Tributes have been paid to former Stockport County player Neil Matthews who has died at the age of 56 from cancer. The club said Matthews played a significant part in their legendary 1990-91 season, scoring two goals in their 5-0 win over Scunthorpe that secured the club's first promotion in 20 years.
Haddock the World Away: Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher left staff at a fish and chip shop starstruck earlier this week when he popped in for a spot of supper. Gallagher, believed to be holidaying in the Peak District, placed his order at Toll Bar Fish and Chips in Derbyshire, with staff describing how polite and lovely he was.
Worth a read
A hugely detailed miniature village in the heart of south Manchester once saw busloads of tourists stop by for a visit.
The home-made town, which featured a pub, church, post office, and thatched cottages, was built by council gardener Alan Teague in Levenshulme in 1979 with partner Nigel Joynson. It took the pair until 1988 to complete the village, which sat in the front garden of their home.
The couple sold the home in 1993 and the buildings weren't maintained and sadly began to decay over years.
Have a look back at the labour of love here.
That's all for today
Thanks for joining me. If you have stories you would like us to look into, email beth.abbit@menmedia.co.uk.
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The answer to today's trivia question is: Birmingham |
