Throughout the winter of 2006/7 protest marches, petitions and public meetings were organised in East Yorkshire over plans to reorganise local hospital services.
This article explains what's going on. BACKGROUND - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOWThere are five community hospitals in the East Riding of Yorkshire. Four of them are run by the East Riding of Yorkshire Primary Care Trust. The fifth, in Bridlington, is run by a different trust. The East Riding PCT came into being on October 1st 2006. It was formed by merging two other trusts, the East Yorkshire PCT and the Yorkshire Wolds and Coast PCT.  | | Dr Duncan Ross: East Riding PCT |
Before the merger, the Yorkshire Wolds and Coast PCT was heavily in debt. Summer 2006: The two trusts launch a joint turnaround strategy. October 1st 2006. East Riding PCT officially formed. Autumn 2006: Proposals announced for radical shakeup at community hospitals. November 30th 2006: Official consultation begins.  | | Paul Rounding: Mayor of Driffield |
Winter 2006/7: Opponents of the hospital shakeup collect petitions and stage demonstrations. March 8th 2007 closure date for responses to the proposals. March 28th East Riding PCT board meets in Pocklington to decide whether to implement the changes. WHAT DOES THE HEALTH TRUST WANT TO DO?The East Riding Primary Care Trust sees its four community hospitals offering either level 1 or level 2 care. Level 1 hospitals: Minor Injuries Units closed down.
Would offer basic medical tests.
Lumps and bumps removal.
Community beds closed down.
Patients would stay either at Goole or Bridlington Hospital instead or in NHS funded beds in private care homes.
People with minor injuries ring a helpline and are either offered advice or a practitioner comes to see them at home or at an NHS facility nearby. Level 2 hospitals: Minor Injuries Unit open between 9 and 15 hours per day.
Offer day surgery.
Specialist tests.
Chemotherapy.
Community beds closed and patients stay either at Goole or Bridlington instead or in NHS beds in a private care home.  | | Barbara Hall: Driffield Hospital Defence League |
The East Riding Primary Care Trust says these changes will offer patients
care close to home.
a sustainable local health service.
£7/8 million extra freed up for local community health services. It says if the changes are not brought in;
It will fail its performance targets.
There may be ad-hoc closures.
Possible accidents with patients. The trust has set out 4 options ... 1) Bridlington Hospital offers level 2 care, Driffield, Hornsea, Beverley and Withernsea level 1.
2) Goole Hospital offers level 2 care, Driffield, Hornsea, Beverley and Withernsea level 1.
3) Bridlington and Goole offer level 2 care, all areas an extensive range of level 1 services.
4) Bridlington, Goole and another hospital get level 2 services, all areas get a limited range of level 1 services. Goole Hospital is not run by the East Riding PCT. Its managed from North Lincolnshire.
WHAT'S BEEN THE REACTION?There has been a lot of opposition to the proposals. But not everyone is against the plans. Some people think the health trust is right to look at the cost effectiveness of its services. Since announcing its proposals the East Riding PCT has staged a series of consultation meetings. Meanwhile local politicians have been organising opposition to the plans.  | | Protestors hand the PCT a 8000 signature petition |
Jan 1st 2007:700 people march through Beverley in protest at the plans to close hospital beds.
February 2007: Driffield Hospital Defence League hands over an 8000 name petition, calling for beds to be kept in Driffield Hospital.
March 10th 2007: March through Hornsea in protest at bed closures.
March 17th 2007: March through Withernsea in protest at plans. GPs in Hornsea have proposed replacing the town's hospital with a private care home containing a minor injuries unit and up to 12 NHS funded beds.
Some people think its a good compromise. GPs in Withernsea describe plans to put patients into beds in private care homes as a nonesense and say they will boycott the scheme. Some people in Driffield want the town to bid to have its own level 2 hospital. | 
