Whistleblower lifts the lid on fears over NHS job losses and lack of services in Wisbech

An NHS whistleblower claims there are staff fears of job losses and says Wisbech patients are missing out on essential sexual health services.

The unnamed source, who has been messaging health bosses about concerns at the iCash Sexual Health Department,based at the Parkside Clinic in Wisbech, claims there has been an internal investigation following passive bullying and disrespect from the area leadership team.

Staff changes including a retirement and a consultant going on maternity leave has seen a drop in services with the number of appointments halved in the past six months from 400 to 200, they claim.

They said staff are concerned about possible job losses despite a meeting with managers, which apparently did allay some of those fears.

The whistleblower claims there were no plans to deal with the staff changes and says nursing assistants are going to work with no management and says the new managers have only seen 20 sexual health patients in three weeks.

The Ely clinic has been closed for months and the whistleblower says patients from Wisbech and Ely are being asked to travel to Huntingdon, Cambridge and Peterborough for a 15 minute appointment, despite their being adequate provision in Wisbech but not clinicians.

They said: "Wisbech is an area of deprivation where sexual infection and unwanted pregnancies are rife so this is not acceptable.

"There is also a high frequency of sexual coercion and abuse that the service is there to report. The Trinity Surgery in Wisbech have formally complained to Cambridgeshire Community Services that they have patients needing to be seen who can't get appointments."

However Tracey Cooper, service director for Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust has acknowledged the impact staff shortages and a software upgrade has had on staff morale and access to services for local people.

She said: “I am very proud of the iCaSH services in Wisbech and Ely and apologise for the impact recent staff shortages and a software upgrade to the clinical system have had on staff morale and access to services for local people.

“A full time Clinical Nurse Manager joined the service on April 4 following the previous manager retiring at the end of March. Interviews are being held on May 3 to appoint a speciality doctor to cover maternity leave within the service, with a reduced number of sexual health and contraception clinics maintained in the interim.

“The fortnightly clinic held in Ely which was temporarily paused will reopen in early June 2022 with an interim clinic held last week. We hope to increase these clinics to weekly from June improving access and choice for local people.

“I am confident that these arrangements, alongside any additional actions identified following recent meetings with staff, will ensure access to high quality sexual health services in Wisbech and Ely.”