Grantham delivers its A&E petition to Downing Street
A petition of more than 60,000 signatures calling for the full reopening of Grantham A&E was today handed in to 10 Downing Street by hospital campaigners.
A delegation from SOS Grantham Hospital, led by its chair Coun Charmaine Morgan, visited central London to present the petition and a number of moving letters written by Grantham schoolchildren.
A group of campaigners intent on seeing Grantham A&E become a full-time unit again made their way to London this morning by coach. A small delegation was allowed through the security gates into Downing Street and the large petition was collected at Number 10.
Grantham A&E was closed overnight in August 2016. It is feared the unit could close altogether to be replaced by a minor injuries unit. A decision on the unit's future will not be made until 2019 when the publication of the Lincolnshire Sustainability and Transformation Plan is expected.
Charmaine Morgan, chair of SOS Grantham Hospital, said: "I think the number of signatures we have had and the hard work of our supporters, especially Jayne Dawson, is staggering .It shows the strength of feeling about saving our A&E."
"I think the timing is appropriate as we know the strategic plans are being pushed through by ULHT. They propose having one single A&E to cover the county. Its important to send a strong message that 60,000 of us are saying no to any downgrade of our A&E."
Hospital campaigner and district and county councillor Ray Wootten said: "When you think of the fact that over 62,000 people have signed this petition, it just goes to show the strength of feeling of the people of Grantham and surrounding districts that they want to keep their A&E open all the time.
"I hope that by delivering this petition to Downing Street it will send a clear message that we will keep campaigning until we get the right solution for Grantham."
Jayne Dawson, who has collected about 29,000 signatures for the petition, said: "I thought at first I would get about 2000 so I am really pleased and proud especially if we can keep the A&E open. But the fight goes on. In September we will be holding a tombola in Morrisons Centre and all the money will go to the A&E."