Campaigners seek reassurances over future of seaside town’s cottage hospital

CAMPAIGNERS IN Hornsea are meeting health bosses on Friday to demand reassurances over the long-term plans for the seaside town’s cottage hospital.

The hospital’s minor injuries unit was controversially closed in April, leaving volunteers to set up their own first aid post to try and avoid the half-hour drive to the nearest urgent care centre in Beverley.

But June Barton, from the Hornsea League of Friends, said the number of clinics had also been cut more recently and there were concerns the site was being run down.

The league will question representatives from the East Riding Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), along with the City Health Care Partnership (CHCP), which provides services at the hospital, and the Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust, which controls the building, at the meeting chaired by local MP Graham Stuart.

Mrs Barton said the wound clinic, which was five days a week, had been reduced to three, while podiatry and physiotherapy were now available just once a week. She said: “I’ve several case histories of people who only live a couple of miles outside Hornsea and have to go to Beverley.

“Most of them are elderly and some have had to give up their cars due to age and infirmity. Public transport is virtually non-existent, so they have to get friends and family to take them.

“We want reassurances about the long-term viability of the hospital and reassurances we are going to get the services in there. We have a state-of-the-art building which is supposed to have every room filled with clinics – but all we are getting is a third world service.”

The CCG said the CHCP had made changes in October to make extra sessions available in Withernsea, Driffield and Beverley. Appointments at Hornsea would be prioritised for people from the town. Collectively across the region that should mean an increased number of clinics, which should see a fall in waiting times.