Consultation over closure of Thirsk community hospital and Friarage ward branded 'shambolic'

The plans to permanently close both the Lambert Memorial Hospital, in Thirsk, after 126 years, and the Rutson Rehabilitation Unit at the Friarage Hospital, Northallerton, were announced last week by the Hambleton, Richmondshire and Whitby Clinical Commissioning Group.

The plans have been widely criticised by councillors and users of the hospitals, including Thirsk councillors Gareth Dadd and Janet Watson.

Cllr Dadd said the consultation exercise was shambolic and called on the CCG to be more open.

He said: “The CCG should come clean with greater clarity and detail as to how they hope to provide, and in what environment, the step-up and step-down care, along with the palliative care, as soon as possible".

He added the CCG needed to provide feasibility studies on the possibility of a hospice-type facility for the area.

He said: "I would urge all residents, to make their voice heard and respond strongly to the consultation."

Northallerton councillor Claire Palmer said the town council would be discussing the matter at its next full council meeting tonight.

She said: “The future of the Friarage Hospital has been something the town council has repeatedly spoke out about and it has continuously objected to changes to services.

“It is an important services, not only for residents of Northallerton but also in the surrounding area.”

Health bosses unveiled the report in light of the £7.7m funding gap, and the proposal states treatment for patients who have suffered strokes or needing palliative care would instead be provided in numerous local settings, such as extra care supported housing schemes.

It states the cost of a community hospital inpatient stay is around £229 a day, while the cost of a step-up step-down bed stay averages at £142 a day. It added: "The NHS is facing significant financial challenges, so innovative models of care are required otherwise issues like this will not be addressed."