Hundreds attend meeting about hospital's future

Hundreds of people turned out for a public meeting about the future of Goole and District Hospital on Saturday.

Concerns were raised last month when staff claimed they were told parts of the site would close.

MP for Goole and Pocklington, David Davis, who attended the meeting, said: "We cannot afford to lose those facilities."

Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust said there were "no firm proposals to discuss yet, and no decisions have been taken".

The meeting was organised by the campaign group Save Our Hospital Goole and was held at the Market Hall.

Davis added: "We cannot afford to lose those beds, lose those facilities, lose those staff, and so that's why it's a really bad decision."

An online petition to save inpatient facilities at Goole has nearly 10,000 signatures after workers said several wards had been earmarked for closure.

Michaela Kenning, chair of Save Our Hospital Goole, told people gathered for the meeting: "We matter, and we will fight."

Ms Kenning said: "It was very plain from those meetings exactly what the trust have got in mind, and that is to get rid of services at Goole, to get rid of the wards, to get rid of the theatres."

One elderly resident who attended the meeting said: "A lot of old people have not got transport, they can't get out of town. We need this hospital desperately."

Another woman said there was "a lot of anxiety at the minute, a lot of frustration".

In a statement, a spokesperson for the trust said: "Work to look at future options and opportunities for Goole and District Hospital is at the very early stages, and as such there are no firm proposals to discuss yet, and no decisions have been taken.

"We do acknowledge this news has caused some concern among local people and has led to some disinformation being circulated."

The trust said it would work with all parties concerned.

The site is classed as a small community hospital by the trust, and provides specialist rehabilitation services for brain injuries and ophthalmology treatment. It also has an urgent treatment centre.

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