Influential board calls for rethink on Scunthorpe General Hospital downgrade

North Lincolnshire’s Health and Wellbeing Board today (22 July 2024) raised serious concerns about the potential reduction of Services at Scunthorpe General Hospital and called for high-level meetings with a cross-party group made up of local leaders and the NHS Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) to find a way forward that protects local residents.

Cllr Rob Waltham, leader of North Lincolnshire Council, said: “The proposed cuts are a serious downgrade to Scunthorpe General Hospital – meaning lengthy journeys to Grimsby to receive treatment or visit loved ones.

“The Health and Wellbeing Board today passed a resolution which aims to get local leaders around the table with the ICB to work through these issues and find a way forward to protect services for local people. The board called for a freeze on the implementation of the changes while this process takes place.

“If agreement can’t be found then the council will make a formal referral of the decision to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to cancel the decision.”

North Lincolnshire Health and Wellbeing Board is a statutory committee of the council and the key partnership within North Lincolnshire committed to working together to improve the health and wellbeing of the local population and reduce health inequalities.

The resolution passed was:

“That the Board notes the decision and update from the ICB, but retains serious concerns about the implications for local residents and for health inequalities across North Lincolnshire,

(b) that the Board support the establishment of a Leadership Group made up of senior, cross-party, North Lincolnshire Council elected members, senior officers and other stakeholders, to begin the process of seeking local resolution to these continued concerns,

(c) that the Board support a short and intensive negotiation between the Leadership Group and the ICB to seek this local resolution, with a formal referral to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care following if a mutually agreed solution cannot be found,

(d) that the Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive write to the ICB, requesting that implementation be formally postponed prior to the outcomes of the resolution and referral processes are published, and (e) that further reports be submitted to the Health and Wellbeing Board in due course.”