A LEADING campaigner who has fought to safeguard the future of Malton Hospital has said she will be seeking reassurances over its future.

Healthwatch York and its North Yorkshire equivalent are warning the “capped expenditure programme” could spell the closure of wards and minor injury units, longer waiting lists, recruitment problems, restricted patient choices and postponed targets on things like four-hour waits in A&E.

The area is one of 14 in the capped expenditure programme - a restrictive financial programme that forces three local NHS bodies to work on significant cost reductions within the next nine months.

North Yorkshire County Councillor Lindsay Burr, who campaigned to save the closure of the Malton Hospital Minor Injuries Unit (MIU), said: “A petition of more than 10,000 signatures was presented to the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), councillors and residents concerns helped to keep the department open.

“However, I have always been worried regarding the survival of the treasured Malton Hospital and would always fight any proposed cost cuts or unit cuts.

“It’s always at the back of my mind, due to financial pressures would Malton Hospital be targeted?

After hearing about the health watchdog report I must say I am very concerned. It implies that hospitals have to once again look at significant cost reductions, something they have been doing year on year and clearly it is not sustainable.”

Cllr Burr added: “Health needs of our community must always go before finance.

“I will be seeking a firm response from top officials to ensure Malton Hospital is not a target for more cuts or even worse closure.

“I will also be attending the public meetings and be keeping a close watch on this new development.”

In a joint statement, the Vale of York CCG, Scarborough and Ryedale CCG, and York Hospital Trust, said they were working on both long and short-term plans.

“We are working together, with NHS England and NHS Improvement, to draw up short-term financial recovery plans to improve the local financial position.

“At the same time, we are continuing to plan for the medium and longer term, focusing on designing better, more joined-up services, that will help people to stay well and reduce reliance on hospital-based care.”

They also pointed to public meetings being held over the coming weeks to give people the chance to find out about and comment on the plans.