Gainsborough town councillors join fight to keep hospital services

A motion was put forward at a Gainsborough Town Council meeting by Coun Matthew Boles which called on the authority to write to United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust (ULHT) expressing “extreme concern” over the moves.

Coun Boles said: “Council to note that following the removal of various services over several years at John Coupland Hospital, there is now speculation that consultant led outpatient services are also to be withdrawn.

“Council resolves to write a letter to ULHT explaining that the town council is extremely concerned to protect services at John Coupland Hospital.

"While also seeking answers as to if ULHT can confirm if it does intend to withdraw some or all the outpatient services from John Coupland Hospital?

“If it does, then can it please provide details of the recovery plan it will put in place to manage the consequential long term impact on the health and wellbeing of Gainsborough residents?

“We all appreciate that the Covid-19 pandemic is stretching NHS services, but the impact of such a withdrawal of services from Gainsborough would have similar far-reaching consequences to both the physical and mental wellbeing of Gainsborough residents as the short-term impact of Covid.”

Coun Tim Davies said: “Hopefully both councils will push to get this sorted as soon as possible.”

Coun Denise Schofield said: “We have started growing as a community and as a town so there attention needs to be brought to that and to the neighbourhood plan.”

Coun Richard Craig said: “As the town and the population increases quite rapidly, the infrastructure and these services still need to be in place, and also with the neighbourhood plan coming in as well that’s going to make a huge difference.”

Coun Paul Key said: “We can’t lost the only hospital we have in town. So I will be pushing to support this. We have to fight.”

The motion was unanimously supported by the whole town council and a motion was also unanimously supported by West Lindsey district councillors.

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