Mum of tragic teen joins water safety campaign
New Infirmary unit aims to treat patients in a day
AMUM who lost her son to drowning has shown her support for a new campaign to prevent accidental drownings.
Paul Lawson, 16, died while swimming with friends in Greenbooth Reservoir near Norden on the hottest day of the year in 2017.
Now, Paul’s mum Natalie Lawson, of Wardle, Rochdale, has joined the new water campaign launched by Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS).
The campaign comes as figures released show that 165 people in England accidentally drowned in 2021.
Natalie joins a number of families and friends of those who have lost loved ones in accidental drownings to share their stories.
In a short video available on Youtube, Natalie spoke about the importance of being aware of how dangerous open water can be.
She said: “The hardest thing to accept was that my boy wasn’t coming back all because it was a hot day and it was fun and he thought he could handle the water, but the water can handle anybody.
“Nobody can handle the water. Seriously, it’s not worth it. Please listen when they say don’t go in. It’s not safe.”
Hopwood Hall College student Paul, who dreamed of becoming a professional football player or coach, had gone to Greenbooth with a group of friends and had arranged to meet more mates there.
Paul’s body was later recovered by police divers ‘only a few metres’ from the water’s edge.
In the last five years, GMFRS have been called to 41 fatal water incidents. Sadly, a number of those were young people who got into difficulty after jumping into or swimming in open water across Greater Manchester.
These incidents tend to occur over summer during periods of warmer weather.
Area Manager Billy Fenwick, Head of Prevention at GMFRS, said: “Tragically, the warmer weather over summer can lead to accidental drownings, particularly amongst young people. Our Water Safety campaign helps to educate young people on the dangers of open water. Cold water shock can kill even strong swimmers, and people can become caught up in undergrowth and drown.
“As it gets warmer over summer, our message is to never be tempted to jump into or swim in any open water to cool off.”
“Please listen when they say don’t go in. It’s not safe.”
A NEW Same Day Emergency Care unit has opened at Rochdale Infirmary.
The unit will care for between 20 and 30 patients a day, with the aim of each person being treated and discharged in the same day.
The intention is to avoid the need for a hospital admission as A&E departments and inpatient wards in Greater Manchester continue to be stretched by colossal demand. The unit has 13 newly furnished assessment rooms for patients as well as improved working facilities and more space for staff and patients.
The unit will provide a seven-day-a-week service treating patients referred by their GP, NWAS, or from the Urgent Treatment Centre and Community Rapid Response Team. Treatments on offer include medical assessment, diagnostics, x-rays, doppler scans, an IV (intravenous) therapy service and acute frailty assessment.
The new centre is staffed by a team of doctors, advanced clinical practitioners, nurses, pharmacists, therapists, health care assistants and an admin support team.
Rochdale Care Organisation chief officer Steve Taylor officially opened the unit on Monday. He said: “I’d like to say a big thank you to everyone involved in the opening of this new unit, for all their hard work and effort. This is another fabulous development for Rochdale Infirmary, and will allow us to treat more Rochdale people, in Rochdale, on the Rochdale Infirmary hospital site.
“Opening the Same Day
Emergency Care unit is another exciting chapter in the development of health and care services in Rochdale.”
Opening times of the unit are 8am to 9pm, Monday to Friday, and 10am to 6pm at the weekends.