289 COVID-19 cases, 20 deaths in Greater Lincolnshire on Wednesday

There have been 122 new coronavirus cases and two COVID-related deaths in Greater Lincolnshire on Monday.

The government’s COVID-dashboard on Monday recorded 67 new cases in Lincolnshire, 20 in North East Lincolnshire and 35 in North Lincolnshire.

Two COVID-related deaths were registered, with one in Lincolnshire and one in North East Lincolnshire. These include deaths both in and out of hospitals, as well as residents in hospitals outside the county.

NHS England also reported three new local hospital deaths – two at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust and one at Northern Lincolnshire and Goole.

National cases increased by 4,712 to 4,223,232 while deaths rose by 65 to 124,566, record lows since September 2020.

In other news, England’s lockdown easing started on Monday, with children returning to school, care home residents being allowed to hold hands with a visitor, and two people from different households able to meet outdoors.

Education secretary Gavin Williamson earlier in the day said the “largest mass testing programme we have ever seen in this country” was taking place in Englands schools.

Staff and pupils are now recommended to wear masks everywhere in school, including in the classroom.

A graph showing Lincolnshire’s case numbers up to March 8.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson during a press conference, said it had been an “emotional day for millions of families up and down the country” and that there was an overwhelming “feeling of relief”.

He said a “greater risk” would be keeping children out of school “a day longer”.

He called the latest measures the “crucial first step” on the government’s “cautious, but irreversible roadmap to freedom”.

He noted that more than one third of the entire UK population has now been vaccinated and said that meant they could take the step “with caution”.

People aged 56 to 59 in the East Midlands, including across Greater Lincolnshire, are being invited to book their life-saving coronavirus vaccination this week.

Patients have until Tuesday lunchtime to respond to a survey on United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust’s latest plans – including its COVID-free site in Grantham. However, critics of the plans say questions still remain.

A woman who pleaded guilty to attempting to drown a dog in the River Trent near Lincoln has been fined, but avoided a jail sentence.

Bella the Belgian Shepherd’s lead was attached to a carrier bag tied to a large rock. The dog was rescued by passer-by Jane Harper after she was discovered struggling and submerged in the water near Long Lane in Farndon near Newark on January 6, 2020.

The owner of the dog Charlene Latham, 31, of St Brannocks Road, Ilfracombe in Devon, was arrested by police. She appeared in court on Monday, March 8 and was given a 12-month community order, as well as being disqualified from keeping dogs for three years.

Jane manages to get Bella onto a large stone. | Photo: RSPCA

Jane Harpur rescuing Bella. | Photo: RSPCA

Jane gets bella to safety. | Photo: RSPCA

Latham was also fined £80, was ordered to pay £200 costs and a £32 victim surcharge.

Leigh Johnson, 32, had denied the same charge at a previous court appearance and the case against him was discontinued.

Passer-by Jane Harper managed to free the struggling animal before the matter was reported to Nottinghamshire Police, who took the dog to a local vet.

The vet said had she not been treated when she was, then Bella would have died.

Locals bring towels to wrap shivering Bella in. | Photo: RSPCA

Bella on arrival at the Radcliffe Animal Centre. | Photo: RSPCA

Jane Harper and Joanne Bellamy reunited with Bella at RSPCA centre. | Photo: RSPCA

After the ordeal, Bella was rushed for emergency veterinary treatment and it was there that Bella’s microchip was found. It was registered in 2010 and gave her name and her owner’s details.

Bella was transferred into the the care of the RSPCA Radcliffe Animal Centre in Nottingham. Police and the RSPCA then launched an investigation.

Bella, aged 11, has remained at the centre since as she has complex veterinary needs. She has been completely transformed from the dog who almost didn’t make it to the bouncy elderly girl she is now.

Bella is now a completely transformed dog. | Photo: RSPCA

Bella at Christmas in 2020. | Photo: RSPCA

Bella and Ella Carpenter. | Photo: RSPCA

Ella Carpenter, manager at Radcliffe Animal Centre said after the case that they are now desperate to find Bella a loving new home.

The home would need to be in the vicinity of the Radcliffe Centre.

Ella said: “We are both proud and privileged to have cared for Bella over the past fourteen months.

“At times we thought she just wouldn’t make it, with her age and underlying health conditions all against her. But Bella has fought every day, showing enviable strength and courage, not wanting to give up her fight to recover.

“We hope that she will now be able to live out the rest of her life with the love and respect that she has always deserved and are looking for that special forever home for Bella.”

Bella chasing a ball. | Photo: RSPCA

Bella and animal care assistant Sophie Major. | Photo: RSPCA

The incident also prompted over 165,000 people to call for tougher sentences and justice for Bella.

Inspector Heather Sutton, District Commander for Newark and Sherwood at Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Britain is undoubtedly a nation of animal lovers, which has been demonstrated by the overwhelming support we have received from members of the public to help Bella and assist our officers with their investigation into this particularly sad case.

“Animal cruelty investigations can often be very complex and we have worked closely with the RSPCA throughout.

“I would like to thank the public for their support, which has meant that we were able to make arrests and charges following the investigation.”

Lincolnshire’s hospitals trust has revealed its latest plans for services in the county, but campaigners say the move has sparked “grave concerns” and left unanswered questions.

United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust advertised its latest consultation on Friday evening, which will include an examination of Grantham Hospital, and gave people until Tuesday lunchtime to respond – just one full working day.

Campaigners said there were still questions to be answered about the plans. They also said the time-scale for response was “too short” and could result in some residents being left out, however, trust bosses said the survey had been part of an ongoing process since December.

ULHT says it will consider its plans to restore services at an extraordinary board meeting on Tuesday, March 16, at 2pm.

It said an independent review had been carried out over the last nine months into the changes, which included the opening of a 24/7 Urgent Treatment Centre.

“[The changes] enabled the trust to continue to deliver essential cancer and urgent surgery to the people of Lincolnshire during the pandemic in an environment protected from COVID-19,” said a statement.

Under the latest plans:

• Existing services at Grantham will remain. The trust added two theatres to allow for more surgery and will keep some chemotherapy day services on the site. It says it is “keen” to restore day case cancer services to Boston and Lincoln soon.
• Sexual health services, some outpatient and community mental health services, children’s and women’s outpatients and dental services run by NHS trusts will return to the Grantham site.
• Outpatient, diagnostic and therapy services will return with “very limited need for any interaction with the other patient services on site”. A dedicated medical and surgical rehabilitation ward is also planned.
• Emergency care services changed again to include a daytime (previously 8am to 6.30pm) A&E, a same-day emergency care unit, an emergency admissions unit, access to diagnostic services and integrated support from community teams.
• An enhanced out-of-hours primary care service at the front of the hospital will include walk-in services until 10pm and a booked service through the night.

A survey into the Grantham hospital Green site model was launched on December 15, 2020, with an interim report produced on January 15 of this year.

A trust spokesman said: “For anyone who has difficulty with access for any of the areas you can call or email and someone will provide this service through a medium that is accessible.”

Responses should be sent to [email protected] or 01522 573986.

Grantham Hospital. | Photo: Kylie Warrington

Grantham SOS Campaigner and South Kesteven councillor Charmaine Morgan said: “Whilst it’s looking promising they are restoring a number of the services at Grantham Hospital and have plans to restore even more, we have grave concerns over the very short notice and very short window for anyone to respond.

“It’s very likely the groups most affected won’t have time to respond.”

She said there was already concern the move further took away night-time A&E services in the long run.

The comments come just days after lawyers on behalf of campaigners appeared before a High Court judge over the original plans which saw Grantham Hospital turned into a COVID-free site in the face of the pandemic.

Councillor Morgan, one of those to give evidence, said: “Listening to the arguments during the case it was very clear the failure to consult was a significant issue.”

A map of Grantham Hospital showing the majority of it as COVID-19 free apart from the urgent treatment centre and the ambulatory care section.

Fellow councillor Ray Wootten pointed out the board’s meeting was on the same day as Lincolnshire County Council’s Health Scrutiny Committee.

“I was a bit cross because a recent motion called on the trust to have a full and frank consultation across the entirety of Lincolnshire. This way anyone without internet access can’t contribute, if they’re even aware of it.

“It’s an extraordinary meeting, what’s such an emergency they need to do it so quickly? Is it because of the COVID Green Site coming to an end?

“They have had plenty of time to think about that and deal with it.”

He reiterated that services should return to the same level they were four-and-a-half years ago.

“For a growing district of 140,000-plus population I want to see the same Grantham Hospital services we had before, nothing less, nothing more.”

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

Fighting 4 Grantham Hospital campaigner Jody Clark said the time frame “doesn’t give everyone the chance to respond”.

“It restricts anyone who doesn’t have internet access or has additional needs (language barrier, disabilities, elderly) and some of those will need to use those services the most,” she said.

“So it’s on all of us to give our views to make sure everyone’s needs are taken into consideration.”

She said the consultation so far “left me with more questions than answers” – particularly around A&E, staffing levels and the risk to patients.

“I hope the board approve the changes, as it will reduce some of the need to travel, but I honestly think we need more enhanced services locally, especially with all the residential developments in the county, all our hospitals will be under excess demand unless better local provision is given,” she said.

“Nearly five years on from the original overnight closure, it’s about time this got sorted, we will keep fighting for Grantham Hospital.”