Grantham councillors have quizzed health bosses over the 'downgrading' of the town's hospital.

They and other members of the Lincolnshire Health Scrutiny Committee also demanded the United Lincolnshire Hospital Trust carry out a full public consultation on their changes "as soon as possible".

ULHT voted last week to increase the number of elective patients at Grantham hospital, including the transfer of chemotherapy, cancer surgery and other surgery from across Lincolnshire.

But the move means downgrading Grantham Hospital's A&E to an Urgent Treatment Centre and the loss of other services.

Grantham Councillor Ray Wootten says he, fellow Grantham councillor Mark Whittington and Peasecliffe and Ridgeway councillor Rosemarky Kaberry-Brown all quizzed Andrew Morgan, CEO of the trust and John Turner, chief executive of the NHS Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Group, about the changes.

Coun Wootten told Grantham Nub News that Mr Morgan and Mr Turner said they had looked at other options and the pair kept repeating that the changes were only a 'temporary measure'.

However, as Coun Wootten and other hospital campaingers remind us, the same was said about the loss of Grantham's overnight A&E coverage, when that took place in 2016.

In a statement issued following the meeting yesterday, Counr Carl Macey, chair of the Health Scrutiny Committee, said: "We share the concerns of many people in Grantham about these changes. They will have a significant impact on patients throughout the county, particularly in terms of travel to other sites and the downgrading of Grantham A&E."

"We have asked for regular updates on plans for the hospital and will be writing to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to make him aware of our concerns."

ULHT has agreed to the temporary creation of a largely Covid-19 free Green site at Grantham and District Hospital for this next phase of the pandemic.

The urgent care offer at the hospital would also change from an A&E, open 8am to 6.30pm, to a 24/7 walk-in Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC) and transfer unplanned admissions to other hospitals.

The committee agreed the following proposals:

We welcome the return of 24/7 walk-in access to care at Grantham, along with the elective and planned treatments, but that we also put on record the Committee's concerns that the restoration plan will have a significant impact on patients throughout Lincolnshire, in terms of travel from their local to other sites, and the downgrading of Grantham A&E.

To seek regular updates on the progress of the restoration plan for ULHT, including the impacts on patients of travelling to different sites.

To record the Committee's view that full public consultation on the Lincolnshire Acute Services Review options should take place as soon as possible and to write to the Right Hon Matt Hancock MP, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, expressing the Committee's concerns, which have been raised today (Wed), as an indication of the Committee's position for any action in the future.

Mr Morgan told Nub news today: "We continue to manage a global pandemic situation, but are working to find ways to offer a wider range of services to our patients where we can safely do so.

"We have thoroughly reviewed how we can offer more urgent elective care, such as cancer care, elective surgery, diagnostic and outpatient services whilst minimising the risk of infection where possible. This is of huge importance, as we have thousands of patients in Lincolnshire who are waiting for urgent treatment, including cancer care, and we need to find a way to provide this for them.

"We have determined that the best way to do this in the short term is to create a COVID-free hospital site to deliver most of this routine care in the short term. Grantham is the obvious choice for this.

"We know the change to the emergency care offer at Grantham will be of concern to our local population, but I would like to reassure everyone that this is a necessary step to ensure that we can deliver more elective care for the whole population of Lincolnshire in as safe a way as possible. I'd also like to make it very clear that this is only a temporary measure during these exceptional times.

"We spent the time yesterday running through our reasoning; what we are doing and why and addressing any unanswered questions. We stressed these are temporary changes and we will, of course, continue to engage and keep the Committee informed."

• In other hospital news, South Kesteven District Council has confirmed it is to stage an Extraordinary Meeting about the hospital changes and how the council can respond. It will take place at 2.30pm on July 1.