Government refuses to step in and stop NHS plan to strip services from Scunthorpe hospital

North Lincolnshire Council has responded after receiving a letter from the Minister of State for Health confirming that the Government will not intervene in the NHS Humber Acute Services review – despite admitting that concerns have been rightly raised about the impact on residents.

The review proposes removing some critical hospital services from Scunthorpe, forcing patients to travel to Grimsby or Hull for care they should be able to access locally.

Cllr Rob Waltham, leader, North Lincolnshire Council, said: “Residents will be furious – and rightly so. The Government had a clear opportunity to stand up for people in North Lincolnshire and protect vital NHS services. They recognised the risks, they saw the warnings, and yet they have chosen to walk away.

“That is nothing short of abandoning local people at a time when the health service is already under immense strain.”

The council submitted detailed evidence calling for a review, setting out major concerns over access to urgent care, long-term patient outcomes, and the sustainability of the local health system.

Despite acknowledging issues, the Minister’s letter confirms that the Government will not call in the decision and will instead leave the matter entirely in the hands of the NHS.

The “call-in” request would have allowed the Secretary of State for Health to formally intervene and take responsibility for reviewing, pausing, or overturning the service reconfiguration.

Cllr Waltham added: “Every resident deserves a strong, local NHS – not the steady erosion of care. The Government’s refusal to act gives no reassurance to the thousands of people already worried about services being chipped away bit by bit.

“This decision leaves the area dangerously exposed. The Government had the chance to help us protect our hospital, and they chose not to take it.

“We will continue to hold those making these decisions to account and press them on every single commitment they make, but we cannot ignore the reality – communities have fought too hard for their hospital to see it diminished, and they deserved support to fight with them. Instead, they have been left to face this alone.”