2 days Ago By [email protected] (Deborah Hall)
Save Goole Hospital Action Group (SGHAG) held a peaceful protest that saw residents of the town joined by supporters from as far afield as Hull, Doncaster, Leeds and Huddersfield. The event, held in Goole Precinct on Sunday, April 13, was the latest step in highlighting concerns around the downgrading of services at Goole and District Hospital, with fears raised earlier this year. Recently, video messages of backing for the campaign have come from stars of sport of music , in the hope of adding weight to the appeal to keep the hospital running.
The protest at the weekend included speakers, a call for volunteers for the campaign, music and a community singalong, along with a bedpush. Tony Williams, communications director for SGHAG, said: “The weather was kind and the people who turned out were even kinder, encouraging the speakers with applause and cheering.” Michaela Kenning, chairperson of SGHAG, was first to speak, the back of a flatbed truck serving as a stage.
Hers was a “heart-warming, passionate speech” and she was followed by Cllr Anne Handley, leader of East Riding Council, and Julie Challenger, the action group’s “clinical expert”, Tony said, to deliver the ins and outs of where the group was at with the campaign. “Then it was the turn of our colleagues from Huddersfield who, led by Mike Forster, managed to campaign and save Huddersfield hospital services and wards,” said Tony. “They went further with their campaign by adding extra services to their community hospital.
Keep up to date with all the latest breaking news and top stories from Hull with our free newsletter “This was what the Goole community wanted to hear and it was great to know that if Goole can stand united and support and share this campaign, great results can be achieved.” David Davis, the MP for Goole and Pocklington, had been due to attend but was in London, following a recall of the House of Commons made on Saturday to take forward legislative proposals to ensure the continued operation of British Steel blast furnaces at Scunthorpe. Mr Davis had sent his apologies to the group.
Tony said: “It was nice to give an update with some positive information. We believe that was as a direct result of our involvement, saying we would hold the Trust’s executive management accountable for their actions. “We informed all other bodies who we thought needed to be enlightened about this injustice to the staff at Goole hospital and people of Goole and surrounding areas.
The fight goes on; we are now focusing on meeting with the Trust, fundraising and more public awareness going forward. “We now know more about how to get a successful march and we will be bigger and louder, so you will see us out and about. The Trust will be hoping that we will become complacent and just fade away; there's not a chance that will happen.
” SGHAG will be holding events over the coming months and has car stickers, badges and wristbands available for donations and a GoFundMe page via the website at savegoolehospital.com and you can email [email protected] for further information.
The appeal page says SGHAG has been set up in response to concerns raised that services at Goole and District Hospital are under threat due to a review being carried out by NHS Humber Health Partnership. The partnership is made up of two trusts, the Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (HUTH) and Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust (NLAG) and the five main hospital sites the partnership covers are Castle Hill Hospital , Cottingham ; Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital, Grimsby; Goole and District Hospital; Hull Royal Infirmary and Scunthorpe General Hospital. A spokesperson for NLAG said: “As stated previously, we have no plans to close the hospital.
We will be working with partners over the coming months to look at how we can best provide the healthcare services the people of Goole need. "We’ll also be looking at how we can maximise the use of the building. In the meantime, services at Goole will remain as they are until this work is undertaken and decisions are made.
” Don't miss a thing. Get all the latest breaking news in Hull straight to your mobile via WhatsApp by clicking here . If you don’t like our community, you can leave any time.
We also treat members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. Read our privacy notice here..
