Leaders react to the final decision to close the Lincoln Walk-In-Centre
Health chiefs yesterday brought down the axe on the Lincoln Walk-In-Centre despite 94% of those surveyed voting against the move. We asked elected leaders and health groups how they will be responding in the interests of the public.
The announcement followed an exercise that saw thousands of people object to the move in an official consultation, combined with protests and petitions.
Leaders in the city gave their reactions to the confirmed closure:
Health Secretary appeal
Lincoln MP Karen Lee
Member of Parliament for Lincoln Karen Lee said: “As a healthcare professional, I understand that the delivery of health care changes and evolves with the passing of time. However, I am not supportive of the closure of the walk-in centre because it is my belief that its closure is a downgrading of the health provision my constituents will be able to access.
“Further to that, I am uncomfortable that the consultation process undertaken does not appear to have been a meaningful one, given that 94% of respondents expressed the wish for the walk-in-centre to remain open and the voice of local people has been ignored.
“The walk-in centre’s closure is likely to put A&E under an even greater strain than it already is. I have seen first-hand the pressures the hard-working A&E professionals are already experiencing.
“The decision by the CCG needs to be reviewed.
“I will be writing to Jeremy Hunt MP to request the decision is reviewed on the basis that the provisions are not sufficient in ensuring an effective level of care.
“It is my sincere view that the chronic underfunding of our NHS by the current government has meant our local CCG has been forced to make these unpopular changes to local healthcare provisions.”
‘Funding crisis’ a main factor
Sarah Fletcher is the CEO of Healthwatch Lincolnshire
Sarah Fletcher, CEO of local watchdog Healthwatch Lincolnshire, said: “Healthwatch Lincolnshire feel it is too soon to understand what if any real changes have happened.
“Whilst we have been given updates from reports produced by the CCG, for Healthwatch reports only tell part of the story.
“If West CCG have not done all their homework properly, then it will become apparent very quickly that any additionally provided services will not meet demand.
“However, we would agree that patients have a range of services available that should be considered including talking to a pharmacist. The concern comes when patients feel they are being forced to make ‘self-diagnosis and treatments’ rather than going to visit their GP, believing the messages are suggesting this
“At this moment in time we do not believe there is any chance the decision to close the Walk in Centre can be altered.
“The serious funding issues the 4 CCGs in Lincolnshire are facing, coupled with the fact that organisations such as United Lincolnshire Hospital Trust are facing significant funding crisis, has been one of the main reasons West CCG has made the decision to close.”
Further evidence needed
Councillor Carl Macey, Chairman of the Health Scutiny Committee for Lincolnshire
Councillor Carl Macey, Chairman of the Health Scrutiny Committee for Lincolnshire County Council, said: “In December, the Health Scrutiny Committee heard from the CCG about work to improve access to GPs, the development of alternative provisions to the Walk-In Centre and plans to promote these.
“The committee were satisfied that progress is being made but requested further evidence to be presented to our February meeting, to substantiate this.
“The committee has always expressed concerns that the Walk-In Centre should only be closed when these alternatives are fully in place and are shown to be providing what those patients need, without putting extra pressure on A&E in particular.
“We will be looking to the CCG to provide the evidence so the committee can be assured of this before any further actions are decided.”
‘A&E won’t be impacted’
United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust chief executive Jan Sobieraj
Chief Executive of United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust, which runs hospitals in the county, Jan Sobieraj said: “We have been reassured that the closure of the Lincoln walk-in centre won’t impact the A&E department and are pleased that additional services for patients will be in place for local residents.
“We remain committed to working closely with our partners to ensure that patients are directed to the services that can best meet their needs and attendances at our A&Es are focused on seriously ill patients.”
Challenging times
Andrew Morgan, chief executive of Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust
Lincolnshire Community Health Services Trust was contracted by Lincolnshire West CCG to provide services at the Walk-In-Centre. Many members of staff have already left the centre.
Andrew Morgan, chief executive of Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust, said: “We have been working closely with the CCG to ensure any transition period can be managed safely in the interests of our patients and staff.
“The walk-in-centre team has shown an exceptional level of professionalism and dedication throughout this process.
“While it has, at times, proved challenging, the team have continued to provide an excellent service and has been grateful for all of the messages of gratitude and support from members of the public.”
City of Lincoln Council Leader Richard Metcalfe was also contacted by The Lincolnite, but he did not give a response by the time of publishing.
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Lincoln Cathedral will open its Christmas events to the public despite the COVID-19 pandemic, including a new outdoor carol service.
The service will take place at the newly opened Dean’s Green at 3.45pm on Sunday, December 20, as the cathedral choir perform a range of festive family favourites.
A popular Christmas tradition is also returning this year, with the Service of Lessons and Carols happening over four consecutive days to allow more people to see it.
This will take place from Monday, December 21 to Thursday, December 24 at 4pm to make up for the reduced numbers that can gather at the cathedral, due to COVID-19 guidelines and restrictions.
Midnight Mass will be another event to take place as usual, at 11.30pm on Christmas Eve, while the Christmas Day Eucharist will be held at 10.30am.
The Dean of Lincoln Cathedral, The Very Revd Christine Wilson, has also confirmed that public worship will restart from December 2, in line with the country coming out of national lockdown.
She said: “There can be no doubt that Advent and Christmas will be very different this year and we are committed to offering music and worship to lift the heart and soul.
“In these challenging times we hope to bring comfort and joy in to people’s lives through acts of care and compassion and the demonstration of God’s love.”
The full daily pattern of worship will not change from what it was prior to the start of lockdown, with Evensong on a Tuesday and Friday.
There have been 279 new coronavirus cases and 36 COVID-related deaths in Greater Lincolnshire on Wednesday.
The government’s COVID-19 dashboard recorded 204 new cases in Lincolnshire, 40 in North East Lincolnshire and 35 in North Lincolnshire.
On Wednesday, 25 deaths were registered in Lincolnshire, seven in North East Lincolnshire and four in North Lincolnshire. These figures include deaths both in and out of hospitals, as well as residents in hospitals outside the county.
NHS England reported 13 new local hospital deaths on Wednesday, including eight at United Lincolnshire Hospital Trust, three at Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust and two at Lincolnshire Community Health Service hospitals.
United Lincolnshire Hospital Trust has now surpassed 300 deaths since the start of the pandemic.
On Wednesday, national cases increased by 16,170 to 1,659,256 while deaths rose by 648 to 59,699.
In local news, Lincolnshire health bosses welcomed the first UK-approved COVID-19 vaccine, which will be rolled out from next week to priority groups such as NHS workers. Here’s who will get the vaccine first.
The leader of South Holland District Council has apologised to his residents for “failing” to convince government to take the area out of the toughest coronavirus restrictions. Lord Gary Porter has been one of a number of council leaders in Lincolnshire arguing that it was unfair for the whole of the county to begin in tier three restrictions due to the differences in infection rates across districts.
Matt Hancock has announced a new chapter for COVID-19 with the launch of the Pfizer vaccine from next week. The health secretary said in the House of Commons today that the vaccine is “particularly challenging to deploy” due to its storage temperature of -70℃.
Later in the evening Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned there would still be some months before everyone could get a jab. He acknowledged that would mean “continued hardship” and it will “continue to be tough” for some sectors until the vaccine is deployed.
“Our plan does rely on all of us continuing to make sacrifices to protect those we love so please continue to follow the rules where you live, remember, hands, face, space, and if you live in a tier three area where community testing will be made available, please take part in that.
“Together, these steps are, for now, the surest way to protect yourselves, and those you love, and by reducing the transmission of the virus, help de-escalate your area to a lower level of restrictions.”
Here’s the infection rate in your area up to December 2:
Data: GOV UK / Table: The Lincolnite
Lincolnshire’s cases up to December 2 (recent five days incomplete).
Coronavirus data for Greater Lincolnshire for Wednesday, December 2
27,121 cases (up 279)
17,053 in Lincolnshire (up 204)
4,831 in North Lincolnshire (up 35)
5,237 in North East Lincolnshire (up 40)
931 deaths (up 36)
610 from Lincolnshire (up 25)
165 from North Lincolnshire (up four)
156 from North East Lincolnshire (up seven)
of which 568 hospital deaths (up 13)
306 at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust (up eight)
14 at Lincolnshire Community Health Service hospitals (up two)
1 at Lincolnshire Partnership Foundation Trust (no change)
247 in Northern Lincolnshire (NLAG) (up three)
1,659,256 UK cases, 59,699 deaths
DATA SOURCE — FIGURES CORRECT AT THE TIME OF the latest update. postcode data includes deaths not in healthcare facilities or in hospitals outside authority boundaries.
There will be a Christmas market in Lincoln this year, as the Lincoln Makers’ Market gets the go-ahead to trade in December.
Organisers had originally feared that, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the market would fall victim to the same fate as the popular Lincoln Christmas Market and be cancelled.
The Makers Market has now been approved by City of Lincoln Council and will be held at Castle Square on the top of Steep Hill between Thursday, December 3 and Sunday, December 6.
According to Visit Lincoln, the event will be open from 10am to 6pm each day and is totally free to browse.
Lincolnshire’s move into tier 3 lockdown, the highest possible tier, made the event seem impossible, but organisers have been given license to hold the market this year, so long as guidelines are followed.
It is usually held monthly from March to December, but has been unable to run smoothly this year as a result of coronavirus and lockdown.
The festive market will sell homemade gifts, crafts and other local independent items from a variety of traders, including pottery, ceramics, wool couture and glass art.
It won’t be entirely ‘normal’ however, with fewer stalls being arranged to maintain social distancing and prevent spreading the virus.
Each stall holder will provide hand sanitiser for customers, everyone is being asked to wear face covering when attending, and customers aren’t advised to handle any products unless they are buying them.
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