Concern over future of hospital services

The future of walk-in services at Spalding’s Johnson Hospital remains uncertain with staff at its Minor Injury Unit having been moved elsewhere and a proposed upgrade looking set to fail.

As part of the NHS Healthy Conversation, the hospital was being considered to be upgraded to an Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC) alongside Gainsborough.

Last week it was announced that town’s hospital had been upgraded by the Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust (LCHS) who oversee the facilities.

Gainsborough Hospital’s Minor Injuries Unit was also re-opened in September while the Johnson Hospital’s staff has been relocated elsewhere, a report to Lincolnshire County Council’s Health Scrutiny Panel’s meeting next week states.

The report states services such as face-to-face consultation and x-rays “will not be in Spalding and “staff have been redeployed into alternative services or aligned to work in the CAS to maximise resources in this area of service.”

But in a statement to The Voice, Tracey Pilcher, director of nursing, AHPs and Operations at Lincolnshire Community Health Services (LCHS) NHS Trust, said it was still monitoring the situation.

“In April, Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust made the decision to temporarily close the Spalding Minor Injury Unit,” she said. “This decision was made as part of our response to COVID-19 to ensure we look after patients in a way that best protects them and our staff during this period of immense pressure on all NHS services.

“The Trust is closely monitoring the impact of the temporary closure on the local population.

“Urgent care services remain available 24 hours a day, with access to telephone and video consultations with our award-winning Clinical Assessment Service and home visits where appropriate via NHS 111.

“If you need help fast, but it is not a 999 emergency, remember to Talk before you Walk by using NHS 111. NHS 111 is available by calling 111, going online to 111.NHS.uk or using the NHS app.

“NHS 111 provides quick and easy access to a range of services, including face-to-face appointments in Urgent Treatment Centres nearby in Boston and Peterborough.

“Anyone who attends without an appointment will be assessed by our clinical team but may be given an appointment to return at a later time.”

When asked if is it still a consideration that the Johnson Hospital could be turned into a UTC, or is it now a definite no, a spokesman said: “As we pointed out in the statement, we have made the decision to temporarily close the Spalding Minor Injury Unit.

“We are closely monitoring the impact of this.

“Sorry, but that is all we can provide at the moment.”

The report to the Health Scrutiny Panel said that attendance at the Spalding MIU dropped by 82 per cent from an average of 36 people a day to six people a day, albeit at a time patients were being encouraged to not visit hospitals due to the onset of the pandemic.

Gainsborough saw a bigger drop off of 90 per cent from an average of 40 a day to just four. Since that unit re-opened on September 8 it’s averaged seven patients a day, the report states.

Last year district and county councillor Chris Brewis urged people to get involved with the consultation and the potential upgrade to the Johnson Hospital.

He said this week: “I think a district the size of South Holland should have an Urgent Treatment Centre.

“It’s particularly a problem for someone who hasn’t got transport who may face a three-hour bus journey to get the treatment they need.

“Many patients will also go to Peterborough or King’s Lynn hospitals which means the money for the services they use goes outside of Lincolnshire. I do know there’s an issue with a shortage of staff for the health service all over the country, but somewhere as big as South Holland should have a service, particularly as a rural area with a high percentage of more elderly people.”