A Gainsborough schoolboy is petitioning for John Coupland Hospital to be opened to all patients including coronavirus

The John Coupland Hospital in Ropery Road, Gainsborough, is one of Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust's four community hospitals.

Currently it provides services for the people of Gainsborough and the surrounding area and has an outpatients department, surgical daycare unit/theatre and a minor injuries unit.

However, 13-year-old Ollie White is urging NHS bosses to open it up to all patients during the pandemic – with patients currently forced to travel to Scunthorpe or Lincoln for emergency care.

Ollie said: “John Coupland Hospital is an extremely important thing to have open especially with the COVID-19. We need a hospital available to treat and hold patients of the COVID-19. The hospital would be a vital thing to open for Gainsborough and many other towns and villages.

“It would be safer for the hospital to be open and keep patients there to be able to understand more about this virus and keep the patients away from the public and keeping the threat of it spreading very low. So instead of sending us to another hospital to be treated, we will be treated at John Coupland Hospital.​

“As the number of cases in Lincolnshire continues to rise I am worried for the health and welfare of the people of Gainsborough.

“I want this hospital open just in case people in Gainsborough get the virus and I don’t want it to spread causing a threat to the most vulnerable people of Gainsborough and everyone else.​

“I am hoping this gets the support from people in Gainsborough and many other places to get the attention of our MP or someone that is able to open the hospital to everyone again.​ I am well aware it is going to be difficult but I will not give up.​”

Tracy Pilcher, director of nursing, allied health professionals and operations, moved to reassure people that the hospital would treat patients with Covid-19.

He said: “John Coupland Hospital in Gainsborough, remains open as normal and will treat coronavirus patients.”

To sign Ollie’s petition visit http://chng.it/FpqLXXN6k9.