Local MP John Hayes says he will oppose any closure of the children’s ward at Boston’s Pilgrim Hospital, a decision on the future of which has been delayed until May.
A staffing crisis has led to United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust (ULHT) looking at options on how to run its services from June.
Two of the proposals include the temporary closure of the children’s ward which many young people from South Holland have relied upon.
The number of available beds have already been reduced and all planned non-urgent children’s surgery has been suspended.
Options over the running of the A and E, maternity and neonatal units are also being considered.
The options came before the ULHT board last Friday and they voted.
Many readers of The Voice contacted us following our article last week to express their anger at the possibility of temporary closures.
Jane Rains said: “Is this a late April Fool’s joke, because only fools would take such a decision? The south of Lincolnshire is over one hour away from Lincoln, and an hour away from Grantham.”
Many called for Mr Hayes to add pressure against the possible reduction in systems.
And he backed the calls to keep the children’s ward open saying it has helped his two sons in the past.
John Hayes: “I don’t think it should be closed. Both of my sons were born in Pilgrim Hospital and they have both been treated there.
“It’s important that we have a children’s ward at a hospital that’s accessible to my constituents and Boston is important for those in the north of the constituency including Spalding and where I live in Moulton.
“I’m please that there’s more time to debate and to work on the next response.
“Any family like my own who’ve seen the good work the children’s ward does will be as concerned as I am.
“I’m happy to take up the concerns constituents have with the hospital and the health authority.”
A statement from UHLT described the staffing situation as “volatile.”
“The board asked for more detailed work to be completed and a report be brought back to the next meeting in May before a decision will be made”, the statement says.
“This follows a Trust review of temporary options for children’s services at the hospital due to concerns raised by paediatricians and senior nurses, who have said that although current services are safe, they may struggle to provide safe care in the future if things remain as they are due to severe staffing shortages.
“We are trying to recruit, as without more staff, from June we won’t have enough paediatric doctors to provide emergency and non-urgent care on the children’s ward, A&E, maternity and neonatal units 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to keep services safe for patients.”
