A patient group has launched a legal challenge against United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust’s decision to cut opening hours at a local hospital A&E.
The trust announced last month that it has been forced to close Grantham and District Hospital A&E between 6.30pm and 9am for the next three months in order to transfer doctors to A&E departments in other hospitals.
A local group, SOS Grantham Hospital, is now launching a legal challenge against the decision.
Rosa Curling, human rights solicitor at Leigh Day, which is representing SOS Grantham Hospital, said: “It is our opinion that the decision to close Grantham Hospital overnight for the next three months is unlawful. It was taken without proper patient involvement. Any decision to close an A&E department at a popular local hospital is a serious decision that clearly requires a proper consultation process.
“The people of Grantham are being denied vital services and we are now representing the SOS Grantham Hospital group in their fight to that the people of Grantham have a strong voice in the NHS decision making process. Their voice must be heard before any changes are made to vital local NHS services.”
The group argues that the decision is not lawful because it was not taken with patient involvement, contrary to the advice in the Department of Health guidance ‘Real Involvement – Working with people to improve health services’.
Full story in the NHE, 1 September 2016