ULHT medical director Neil Hepburn. Photo: Steve Smailes
Grantham Hospital campaigners said they are “disappointed” the “won’t get [their] A&E back,” but say but that it’s not unexpected.
Jody Clark from the Fighting 4 Grantham Hospital Group responded to news that the A&E is set to become an urgent treatment centre which deals with urgent, but not life-threatening medical situations.
She said: “We still believe that our growing town deserves safe local 24-hour services, that will meet the needs for future generations.
“If it’s not going to be A&E, but the majority of patients can still be seen, then it’s an acceptable compromise for now until we can build a new hospital in Grantham that has the services we deserve.”
Grantham & District Hospital. Photo: United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust
United Lincolnshire’s Hospitals Trust Director of Estates Paul Boocock said the maintenance costs of the existing building didn’t balance with a new building.
“While we appreciate the continued support, we don’t feel there’s a need for a petition in this case,” he said.
Campaigners looking to protect services at Louth Hospital, which is set to change from and urgent care centre to an urgent treatment centre, have also called the move a downgrade.
Julie Speed, on behalf of Fighting 4 Louth Hospital, said: “In effect we now have GP surgeries where we once had, and should still have, a fully functioning A&E.
“Our GP surgeries are reduced in number and where we once had family doctors we now have practice nurses.
“We hear all the time of people unable to access GP services, indeed in the past it led to people turning to A&E in desperation to see a doctor. Where we once had consultants, we now have GPs.
“I call that a downgrade and it undermines the extreme value of GPs.”
Fighting for Louth Hospital campaigner Julie Speed.
Dr Neil Hepburn, Medical Director at ULHT, refused to call the move a “downgrade”.
“What we’re actually planning to do is improve what is there. If you looked at what is there at the moment and label it, you would call it an urgent treatment centre, but it’s only open for a limited period and what we’re looking to do is develop that model,” he said.
“We’re certainly not looking to downgrade it we’re looking to improve what the actual offer is as of today.”
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The 32-year-old man and 30-year-old woman arrested in the murder probe of an 11-year-old boy in Lincoln have both been released on police bail, without any charges.
The man was arrested on suspicion of murder and the woman on suspicion of manslaughter after an incident at a house on Geneva Street on St Giles in Lincoln.
Police were called to the house at 10pm on Friday night, January 22.
The 11-year-old boy was found unwell at the scene and was taken to hospital for treatment.
He was pronounced dead a short time later.
At the time Lincolnshire Police said the death was unexplained and it was treated as murder.
The man and the woman arrested at the weekend were released on police bail on Monday evening.
Lincolnshire Police said in a statement on Monday night:
“Once again, we’d like to remind people that this is an active investigation and that an 11-year-old boy has sadly lost his life.
“Speculative comments are not only deeply upsetting to those involved but can potentially undermine our investigation.
“If you have any information that can help, call 101 or email [email protected] quoting incident 472 of January 22.”
Ten people from Boston have been given fines for breaching COVID-19 regulations by driving dangerously in supermarket car parks.
Officers were called after three separate reports of dangerous driving in the car parks of Lidl and Tesco in Wyberton Fen, as well as on Marsh Lane Industrial Estate in Boston.
All three incidents took place and were reported to police between 5pm and 6pm on Sunday, January 24, though it is unsure if they were connected at all.
When officers arrived, the drivers were seen doing donut manoeuvres and racing in the snow.
A total of 10 people were given £200 fines for breaking lockdown guidelines, but this will be reduced to £100 if paid within 14 days, due to all being first time offenders.
As well as the COVID-19 fines, two of the vehicles were also seized as a result of being uninsured, with drivers reported.
A traffic offence report was also submitted after one driver was seen to be driving not just dangerously but out of control.
Inspector Fran Harrod of Lincolnshire Police said: “We would like to thank the public for bringing these incidents of dangerous driving to our attention.
“This is not only extremely dangerous to those taking part but to others in these areas.
“While we continue to engage and explain with the public, this was a blatant breach of the restrictions which will not be tolerated.”
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