Gainsborough hospital has closed its minor injury unit due to the coronavirus pandemic

John Coupland Hospital, Gainsborough has closed its minor injuries unit

Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust (LCHS) has confirmed it has closed John Coupland Hospital in Gainsborough and the Johnson Community Hospital in Spalding .

A trust spokesman said: “LCHS is making these changes to ensure patients are looked after in a way that best protects members of the public during this period of immense pressure due to coronavirus.

“LCHS is working hard with other NHS healthcare providers to prevent the spread of coronavirus and to ensure NHS staff are in the right places to care for patients as best we can in these unprecedented times.”

They added that the trust would be focusing its resources on home visits and virtual consultations.

Bosses will review the situation “regularly” and will look to reopen “a s soon as possible” said the spokesman.

The closure is a blow to more than 700 people who had signed a petition started by Gainsborough school boy Ollie White whichappealed for the hospital to be opened to all patientsduring the coronavirus outbreak.

As reported in the Standard Ollie White, 13, started an online campaign saying that it would be a “vital thing” to open for Gainsborough and many other towns and villages.

Meanwhile, health bosses have also told the public not to turn up to new NHS testing centres as officials begin to target staff who are symptomatic.

Tony McGinty, assistant director of public health at Lincolnshire County Council, urged people to stay away from the centres.

He said: “People should not show up to the centre, they won’t be tested and will be turned away.“Staff will be invited personally and people showing up would cause congestion for staff trying to run them.”

He urged people with symptoms to follow the isolation advice and use the 111 service with any concerns, or 999 in an emergency.

More testing stations could be set up in the future.

ULHT chief executive, Andrew Morgan, revealed that more than 500 members of staff were away from work due to coronavirus.

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