Meeting over bed closures 'premature'

Andrew North, of Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said no proposals "have yet been developed".

Concerns were raised after two wards at Goole Hospital were reduced from 18 to 15 beds.

The hospital says it has taken the measures as part of plans to save 15m but insists that if necessary all the beds can be bought back to use.

However Coun Keith Moore, an East Riding councillor who represents Goole, was unconvinced. He said: "We have three examples where people have been offered a choice of Scunthorpe or Doncaster. People have been told there are no beds in Goole. They don't know their rights so they don't insist.

"The present Government has nailed their colours to a mast saying funding for the NHS is ring-fenced. If it is ring-fenced there is no need to do this. There is a multi-million pound underspend – the money is there."

In his letter Mr North says he will be meeting East Riding councillors to discuss informally their "innovation and improvement programme". He adds: "You can be assured that this trust will seek to maintain and develop services at Goole where-ever possible."

A spokesman for the trust said they were having to save money because costs were rising but income had been frozen.

Closing three beds on both wards two and three did not affect the quality of patient care.

Patients were staying less time in hospital because of improvements in care which had freed up bed space.

The spokesman said: "We are currently undertaking a review. No permanent changes will take place without full consultation."