sos Grantham Hospital response

Coun Charmaine Morgan says…

The Victorian Grantham Cottage Hospital building is a landmark structure on the way into Grantham from Lincoln.

It is precious to the people of Grantham,  not only for the importance of its structure, but because it was purchased brick by brick by the people of our town. 

For hospital campaigners the demise of the cottage building has become symbolic over how services at Grantham and District Hospital have been degraded by NHS managers over the years.

Once a thriving District Hospital, where students from Nottingham would train, with its own Childrens Ward, consultant led maternity unit, trauma unit, acute care wards and fully operational Accident and Emergency unit the hospitals main focus is now diagnostics and elective surgery. A hard faught campaign reduced the impact of the planned downgrade of our A&E to an enhanced Urgent Treatment Centre but 1000 mums-to-be must travel to Lincoln, Boston and Nottingham to have their babies now. Time critical trauma patients must travel to Nottingham and beyond for treatment, and, elderly patients with chronic conditions once treated across three wards are either sent to another hospital, or, we must trust will get the equivalent care they once had under a team of hospital consultants, in the community.

In 2018 SOS Grantham Hospital held a series of workshops to seek the views of local people on acute care services. We also looked at the future of the Cottage Hospital building. There was overwhelming support for its retention with suggested uses being for diagnostics, convalescent care or the conversion to a care home for elderly residents. That ULHT is consulting with us is welcome. Let us hope they listen to what wevhave to say.

ULHT indicate the building is remote from the rest of the site making its use for medical purposes less viable yet significant investment was made on the diagnostic unit Gonerby Road outside the town centre.

There was also recollection of a restrictive Deed of Covenant which prevents the commercial use of the site. This needs further exploration.

Whatever happens the old cottage hospital is a valued community asset which has been allowed to degrade under the management of ULHT. It would be considered a cynical move should that lack of care result in the demolition of such an important landmark building for our town.

I will be responding to the Consultation on behalf of Sos Grantham Hospital and look forward to the opportunity to meet ULHT representatives as they have offered.

Whatever decision is made by ULHT will likely require a decision by the SKDC Planning Committee. I will keep an open mind regarding any changes to the building until further details are known.

Town & District Councillor Charmaine Morgan 

Chair SOS Grantham Hospital