More information is needed on the impact of the overnight closure on Grantham A&E on Nottingham and Leicester hospitals before proposals for the future of the service can be published, say councillors.
Councillor Carl Macey, chair of the health scrutiny panel for Lincolnshire, said people need to know the full impact of the overnight closure of the town’s emergency department.
North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust (NWAFT), which runs Peterborough City Hospital, said it had seen an increase in patients from three separate postcode areas in the town, including Grantham Town and the north and south of the town.
Bosses from United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust, who made the decision to close the A&E overnight in August 2016, said a 24/7 service at the hospital “is needed” for the town.
Councillor Carl Macey, chair of the health scrutiny panel for Lincolnshire.
But, Councillor Macey said the panel wants to ensure public knows the full scale of the impact before any proposal is published in the future.
He called for figures on the impact on Nottingham University Hospital and Leicester Hospital to be revealed to the committee.
“The reason is if we have seen an impact over in Peterborough, then there is no doubt going to be an impact in Nottingham, Leicester, Lincoln and Pilgrim Hospital as well,” he said.
“We need to ascertain what figures we are looking at, because it has been well over three years now that it has been shut and we want to see a return to a 24/7 walk-in access to Grantham Hospital.
“The committee has always been very strong on that point and we will continue to push until we get the right result for the people of Grantham.”
ULHT chief operating officer Mark Brassington. Photo: Lincolnshire Reporter
Mark Brassington, chief operating officer at ULHT, said there was “no debate” about returning the department to a 24/7 service.
“I have been involved in this since the decision was made and it was not taken lightly,” he said.
“I do not think anybody is debating about the need for a 24/7 presence at Grantham. It is needed for the population.”
Councillor Ray Wootten, county councillor for Grantham, pointed out that the department had been closed for 1,156 days and that the town needs a walk-in service.
“It really gets up residents’ backs, it’s gone on longer than Brexit,” he said.
Proposals for the future of Grantham A&E will go out to public consultation following the end of Healthy Conversations engagement by the Lincolnshire STP on October 31.
But, councillors have said that further information is needed on the overnight closure impact following figures revealed by North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust.
Impact on Peterborough City Hospital
Last month, NWAFT revealed in its annual report that more than 2,500 patients have attended Peterborough hospital A&E since the overnight closure and added it “continues to see an increase” during the evening time.
Further figures from the trust show that the Grantham Town area had an increase in ambulance arrivals to Peterborough since the decision.
Peterborough City Hospital. Picture: Michael Trolove.
In 2015/16, 47 patients attended the hospital’s A&E compared with 164 in 2018/19.
Meanwhile, 291 people from the south of Grantham arrived at the trust by ambulance last year.
That compares with 190 from the same area back in 2015/16.
The trust said its share of emergency patients arriving between 6pm and 8am “increased significantly”.
It added that the trust’s share of patients attending overnight increased from 16% in 2016/17 to 30% last year.
NWAFT said it could not determine whether or not patients who attended the hospital could not receive treatment at Grantham A&E under its exclusion protocol.
ULHT said in its report to the committee that the impact of the closure has been managed and “will continue to be managed by other A&E departments and NHS services, until the outcome of the consultation on Grantham A&E.”
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A man has been caught using the Royal Mail to distribute thousands of pounds worth of cannabis to addresses across the country, Lincoln Crown Court was told.
Julius Serva attempted to post 13 packages at the Bailgate Post Office in uphill Lincoln but staff alerted police after becoming concerned due to the smell from the items.
Philip Plant, prosecuting, said Serva was arrested and the subsequent investigation revealed he posted 43 packages at the Eastwood Road Post Office in Boston earlier the same day before travelling to Lincoln.
The Boston packages contained a combined total of 1.2kgs of cannabis with a street sale value of up to £12,000. The Lincoln packages contained 182gs of the drug which was potentially worth up to £1,500.
When Serva was interviewed he said he had been asked to post the packages by a friend of a friend and initially believed they contained computer parts but subsequently realised it was cannabis and continued with the task.
Mr Plant said: “He said he was requested to do this for £30. That is nonsense. The postage would have cost him £100.”
Serva, 34, of Walden Gardens, Boston, admitted two charges of possession of drugs with intent to supply as a result of the incidents in July 2020.
He was given a 12-month jail sentence suspended for two years with up to 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days.
Judge Simon Hirst told him: “This was effectively supplying direct to users. You plainly had an awareness of the size of the operation.”
Neil Sands, in mitigation, said that Serva, who was born in Lithuania, came to the UK in 2006 and had no convictions in the past decade.
Mr Sands said: “He had been employed as a farm worker but injured his elbow and was unable to work. He found himself completely without income and he fell behind with his rent. He was offered this opportunity and took it.”
A 24-year-old man accused of a serious assault on a police officer is to face a jury trial next year.
Steven Rogers, 24, of Scothern Lane, Dunholme, pleaded not guilty to a charge of inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent when he appeared before Lincoln Crown Court on Friday.
Recorder William Harbage QC adjourned the hearing for a trial due to take place in the week beginning February 14 next year.
Mr Rogers was granted bail with conditions including an electronically monitored curfew between 9pm and 6 am and is not to enter Welton except to attend any arranged appointment at Welton Medical Centre.
A second man, Daniel Plackett, 32, of Scothern Lane, Dunholme, has previously admitted charges of assault by beating of an emergency worker, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and resisting arrest.
Plackett was further remanded in custody today and will be sentenced following the conclusion of Mr Rogers’ trial.
Two Lincoln men have shared their ‘Wetherspoons paltry chip count’ experiences in the city after a Facebook group of the same name became a viral sensation, with one chip measuring an impressive 14cm.
Since being created a year ago ‘Wetherspoons paltry chip count’ has grown in size to nearly 72,000 members and gained national attention, with group admin Chris Allen saying: “I’m amazed at what has happened over the last few days, I never imaged this group would go any further than a few of my friends having a bit of light hearted fun.”
The purpose of the group is for people to share how many chips they got with their Wetherspoon meal, with some even getting their measuring tape out. Some have been served as little as 10 chips, while others were luckier with more than 60.
Lee Fowkes, who works in Lincoln as a mechanic, went to the Square Sail on Brayford Wharf North in Lincoln on Wednesday, October 20. His double chicken burger meal included 34 chips, which is considerably more than some other ‘measly’ meals posted about in the group.
The 19-year-old told The Lincolnite one his chips was 5.5 inches – almost 14cm – which he said he has been told is above average.
Lee’s portion contained 34 chips, including one measuring nearly 14cm.
Lee said: “I found out about the group that day and thought it was funny. Later that day, I went to ‘Spoons and decided to take part.
“It is a bit of light hearted fun and it is funny that people are making it so serious.
“I’d seen that some people had been getting quite measly portions and some were big so I wondered what mine would be like.
“I think it was a decently sized portion and I was satisfied. I enjoyed myself and it was a nice meal out.”
Dave’s portion came with 30 chips, with the longest measuring 9cm.
A 33-year-old University of Lincoln student called Dave used his iPhone measuring tool when he went to the Square Sail on Thursday, October 21.
His burger came with a portion of 30 chips, with the longest measuring 9cm and the shortest just 2cm.
Dave told The Lincolnite: “My friends told me about this group and said it was a laugh. After looking through the current posts I thought it was pretty funny.
“I love the lengths members are going through to measure their chips and giving a review.
“We happened to be in ‘Spoons the next day having a cheeky pint and I thought ‘why not?’ and that it would be a laugh to see if I get any responses.
“The portion was decent to be fair, I’ve definitely had less chips previously. After this I have decided I am now a self-proclaimed chipologist.”
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