Bridlington Care Unit Closure Fears

A decision to close the care unit at Bridlington Hospital has been condemned by councillors and campaigners alike, who fear the planned closure will mean a ‘hollowing out’ of local healthcare services.

They are uniting in a demand to see a clear roadmap for the future of health and social care on the East Yorkshire coast. 

The closure means local people need to be urgently reassured on the proposed model of ‘community-based model of care’ and reassurances are needed that the social care infrastructure is there to meet future demand, according to local MP, conservative Charlie Dewhirst.

He joins local councillors and campaigners in being increasingly worried about the nature and length of transition as the unit closes. Mr Dewhirst said: “The final decision by the Board of York and Scarborough NHS Trust to permanently close the Bridlington Hospital Care Unit is deeply frustrating and I completely share local residents’ disappointment and anger at this.

“It also should absolutely not have taken nearly 6,000 signatures on my petition to Parliament to make the NHS Trust bother with any public consultation whatsoever, or realise the strength of local feeling and apologise for their complete lack of it. The pause, review of local concerns and public engagement we secured was the minimum that local people deserved in the first place.”

The changes to health and social care systems in and around Bridlington will need close scrutiny he explained, adding: “Now that the decision has been made, we urgently need the hospital’s NHS Trust and the local Integrated Care Board to set out a clear plan that includes any transition period plan and detailing exactly how the needs of Bridlington patients will be met going forward through their proposed ‘community-based model of care’. No detail was given yesterday about the nature or length of any transition arrangements and residents across the area deserve clarity, not more uncertainty over the future of the hospital site.

“That is something I will be scrutinising very closely going forward. There remain real concerns for the NHS to address about whether our current local community and social care infrastructure has the capacity to meet the demand. I will therefore be seeking regular updates from the NHS on this community-based model rollout – as well as the trust developing and making better use of Bridlington Hospital as their own engagement identified – and will not hesitate to robustly challenge them if this is not delivered.”

Bridlington Care Unit was established during the COVID-19 pandemic as a step-down facility to provide additional capacity for people who were medically ready to be discharged from hospital but were delayed in accessing the rehabilitation or social care support they needed to return home.

The Board of Directors at York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust supported the recommendation to permanently close the unit and move to a community-based model of care for patients who no longer need acute hospital treatment at a meeting last week. The decision followed a review of the closure proposals following recommendations made by the East Riding Health, Care and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee. 

This was described as a ‘bitter blow’ to local people by Cllr Denis Healy, East Riding Council’s Liberal Democrat group leader. He warned that residents’ wishes were being ignored and further pressure would be placed on local families. 

He said: “This is a bitter blow for everyone who has fought so hard to protect local services. The decision to close the Bridlington Care Unit ignores the clear voice of residents and the dedicated campaigning of local councillors like Jayne Phoenix. Our community relies on accessible local healthcare, and hollowing out services at Bridlington Hospital undermines patient trust and puts unfair pressure on families.”

A comprehensive and transparent plan detailing how this transition will be managed and how the healthcare needs of residents in Bridlington and the surrounding areas will actually be met, is urgently needed according to campaigners. 

Cllr Angela Walker, Bridlington Town Council, said:

“Having spent three decades on the frontline at Bridlington Hospital, I know first hand how vital these beds are. Forcing recovering patients out of their local area and into distant centralised hospitals, with no consideration for relatives who are often unable to visit due to transport issues, isolates the patients from their families and delays their recovery. Our community has fought for this hospital, and we cannot sit by while it is hollowed out piece by piece.”

The decision to close the unit has been defended by Clare Smith, Chief Executive of York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, who said the board supported the recommendation because patients who no longer need acute hospital treatment should, wherever it is safe and clinically appropriate, be supported to return home as soon as possible and with the right package of care around them.

Ms Smith explained the decision did not shape the future of the wider hospital site and reassured residents that her team was working on a stronger and more viable plan for health services in Bridlington. She said: “We want to be clear that Bridlington Hospital remains an important part of local healthcare provision. and we have been actively working to increase the services that are available there, particularly in planned surgery and outpatients.

“This decision is specific only to the Bridlington Care Unit and does not impact the future of the wider hospital site. We have heard clearly that people want a stronger, more visible plan for services in Bridlington, and that work will continue with the community and our partners. Feedback from the engagement programme about diagnostics, outpatients, planned care and other local services will continue to inform the Trust’s Clinical Strategy and service planning.”

The future strategy for Bridlington and communities around the east coast town will be shaped by ongoing conversations with local people, Ms Smith said.

“In our conversations with residents, we have heard that people want greater transparency and an ongoing conversation about the future of healthcare in Bridlington, and we recognise we need to do more to build trust. We accept that challenge and will continue to work with local residents, staff, partners and elected representatives as we implement this change and as we develop our wider clinical strategy.”