Grantham MP Gareth Davies has won a concession in his fight to restore A&E services at the town's hospital.

The move, revealed in parliament earlier today, follows a meeting the MP held with Health Secretary Matt Hancock last week, which also included North Hykeham and Sleaford MP Dr Caroline Johnson.

Mr Davies told the minister today: "Yesterday, our local NHS trust, the United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust, temporarily downgraded and closed emergency admissions at Grantham and District Hospital, in response to covid-19.

"After many years of uncertainty, there is understandable scepticism about this latest move by the trust. Will the Secretary of State join me in calling on the trust to ensure that these changes are indeed temporary and that covid is not used as cover to make them permanent?"

Mr Hancock replied: "Thanks to my hon. Friend's assiduous work on behalf of his constituents in Grantham, and at his suggestion, I discussed this issue directly with NHS officials.

"Grantham's unit will be open, 24/7, as an urgent treatment centre; this is part of plans to ensure that covid and non-covid services are kept as separate as possible.

"In addition, thanks to his intervention, we will ensure that that position will be reviewed quarterly."

ULHT announced plans earlier this month to 'downgrade' Grantham Hospital's A&E into an Urgent Treatment Centre as part of a shake-up to create a 'green' area free of Covid-19 to allow the hospital to carry out more treatments for conditions like cancer.

However, the move was met with opposition and protest, with hospital campaigners not believing the trust when it said the changes would only be until 2021. They recall how the ending of overnight services at Grantham's A&E, announced in 2016, were also said to be 'temporary.'

• A video of Mr Davies asking the question can be seen here.