Protests have been held many times over the past four years to support staff and oppose plans to remove A&E services further. Photo: Mel Powles
A protest supporting Grantham Hospital staff and opposing planned changes which will see it become a “COVID-19 free” site has seen hundreds attend.
Campaigners said they were “completely overwhelmed” by the level of support for the “socially distanced” gathering outside the United Lincolnshire Hospital Trust facility on Monday.
Bosses at the trust have approved plans to tackle coronavirus including downgrading the accident and emergency department to an Urgent Treatment Centre.
Councillor Linda Wootten at the protest. Photo: Mel Powles
The proposals will see A&E patients and non-elective patients turned away from Grantham Hospital to other sites.
Elective surgery and day cases such as chemotherapy patients will instead be taken from Pilgrim and Lincoln hospitals and transferred to Grantham.
Staff and councillors joined in the protest which campaigners said saw “a good few hundred” attend.
Protesters held banners but stayed at distances. Photo: Mel Powles
Fighting for Grantham Hospital campaigner Jody Clark said: “We stood in support of our staff, who are being moved due to the changes.
“We also oppose the level of these changes, we understand the need for a safe site for vulnerable patients but the trusts plan leaves a lot of our hospital closed?
“Grantham hospital site has multiple entrances and exits, so with a little investment, they could easily increase the safe capacity and still keep most of our local services.
Even pooches got in on the action. Photo: Mel Powles
“We will continue to monitor the impact this has on our community and across the county and challenge the trust to reinstate our services as soon as is safe to do so.”
Healthwatch Lincolnshire has also called for ULHT to be “open and transparent” about its plans “so that communities who access those services can make their own judgements as to what is right for the whole of our patient population.”
In a statement released on Monday the organisation said: “Healthwatch recognises the concerns this news may have for the people living in Grantham, particularly with their long hard battle with regards to retaining an A&E service in the town.
Hundreds turned out according to campaign leaders. Photo: Mel Powles
“In our view, it is not a downgrading but an acknowledgement that Grantham Hospital has a crucial and long-lasting role to play in Lincolnshire healthcare services.”
United Lincolnshire Hospital Trust has been asked for comment.
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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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