Meeting held over the future of Goole hospital

A meeting has been held over the future of Goole and District Hospital, after staff claimed they were told parts of it could close in the new year.

Goole and Pocklington MP Sir David Davis attended the meeting along with officials from East Riding of Yorkshire Council and Northern Lincolnshire and Goole (NLaG) NHS Foundation Trust chief executive Jonathan Lofthouse.

Sir David vowed to hold the trust to account and said: "Any future plans must prioritise the health needs of local residents and the livelihoods of hospital staff."

Previously, the trust issued a statement saying no decision had been made and "disinformation" had caused "unnecessary anxiety for the local population and staff".

Following the meeting on Thursday, Sir David said he had made it "very plain" that, before making any decisions, the trust must consult with MPs, councillors, and local residents.

He said: "I have heard from hundreds of residents, both directly and through social media, who have told me how they would struggle to attend other hospitals and are worried about the impact any cuts to services would have on their health," he said.

"In the new year, I will hold a special surgery in Goole, inviting hospital staff to share their primary concerns directly with me."

Earlier this month, a spokesperson for NLaG said: "No decisions have been taken on the future of the hospital.

"There is a lot of work we have do with our staff, patients and partners to understand what we might do.

"We will be meeting with them to discuss potential options and their ideas in the coming months."

Listen to highlights from Hull and East Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.