Grantham Journal letter: Hospital is so important to the community

I am writing about the future, and what I believe could be the potential closure, of Grantham Hospital.

I am hugely concerned due to its importance to our wonderful community and its imperative need for our health and welfare. I find it hard to believe that any logistical and logical thinker, with an ounce of positive ethical and moral fibre could be in favour of this closure.

I am 35 and have spent my life living in various locations in the UK and abroad. Now having retired from international competition in sport, I have chosen to settle in the beautiful town of Grantham with my wife and daughter to teach physics. One of the main reasons for this conscious choice, was because of its amazing services available to the community, which includes the fantastic schools, hospital many other reasons which I doubt I need to expand upon.

I am baffled and confused as to why such a large town in the UK with an ever growing population has been denied the important service of an emergency care department. Without such an important asset; should I now consider moving house? Until the decision comes to close the next available energy to care unit?

You see Mr Boles, my daughter had an anaphylactic shock due to an allergy with eggs that we were unaware of due to her being so young. If it was not for the brilliant care from the doctors and the nurses at Grantham A&E this situation could have been fatal. I don’t think any of us want to have to wait for an ambulance service, which is already overstretched, to have to find its way through traffic in the return journey for emergency care. This is simply unrealistic. Nor do I feel it is fair or justifiable to expect a member of Grantham town to have to drive over one hour in either direction to the next available emergency care unit. I’m sure you understand this will lead to fatalities. Where is the sense in losing such an imperative aspect of the local community that will save lives and keep us healthier?

You are, Mr Boles, as I’m sure you are well aware, the person most responsible for fighting our corner in situations such as these. I would love to know what it is that you and your team are doing about this and how you actually feel about it. Do you agree with the closure?

I know the NHS are clearly having moments of instability and arguably at logistical crossroads, but surely with a big enough, stronger enough voice, we still have plenty of fight left to save Grantham town’s (our town) most valued service.

Greg Kirk

Grantham