WHEN doctors told a patient to buy a computer to help him cope with a restricted lifestyle, they cannot have imagined he would use it to become a highly effective blogger campaigning against cuts at his local hospital.

Yet four years on, Mick Pilling's electronic broadsides over the future of Bridlington Hospital have proved so successful they now elicit a response from the chief executive of the NHS trust which runs it.

Mr Pilling posts regular updates on issues affecting the hospital in the form of an e-newsletter, sent via the highly informative website of the Save Bridlington Hospital Campaign Action Group, of which he is chairman.

It has helped make services at the Bessingby Road hospital some of the most scrutinised in the region.

Last week, Mr Pilling threw the spotlight on maternity care by revealing that three babies had been born in the backs of ambulances in a matter of weeks after being diverted from Bridlington to Scarborough.

He addressed the matter in his own inimitable style, writing: "Well, what can I say? I told you so! Three babies have now been born at the side of the road as they struggle to get the 20-plus miles to hospital at Scarborough. What a state of affairs. We are disgusted.

"We stated on more than one occasion that if the Bridlington maternity unit closed this would most certainly happen."

This was soon followed by a reply from Iain McInnes, chief executive of Scarborough and North East Yorkshire NHS Trust, who gave a detailed rebuttal to many of Mr Pilling's claims.

"Good morning Mick," he began. "Firstly, the Bridlington Hospital midwife-led maternity unit is not closed. I do not know the source of your incorrect information regarding closure of the unit, but thank you for giving me the opportunity to correct the misinformation."

He may be a constant thorn in his side, but Mr Pilling appears to have earned the respect of the figures he often targets.

The 60-year-old, who walks with a stick and has a range of health problems, said: "We have been recognised by the trust as a campaign that needs to be answered. The website has been very successful.

"We have built up an archive section that allows people to pick up information on any story we have covered since we launched the campaign in 2002."

The trust has said it will make a decision on future of midwifery and other services at the hospital after a three-month period of public consultation it embarked on in December.

One of Mr Pilling's main aims is to see Bridlington's minor injuries unit re-opened 24 hours a day, which he believes will help it return to being a fully functioning hospital. The unit began closing from 9pm to 9am in September, a move the trust described as temporary.

But the trust, like many others across the country, is facing intense pressure to get its finances back on track. It was expected to lose about £7.2m over the financial year, has an historical debt of £13.4m and is operating on a £12.2m loan from the Strategic Health Authority.

Yet Mr Pilling does not want to create the impression that all is doom and gloom in Bridlington.
The website has been so successful that it now acts as a gateway to the town itself, with sections on places to stay, transport, shopping, and financial services.

More than 200 firms in the area have taken up the option of advertising on the site for a one-off fee of £5.
"Our attitude is 'you support us and we'll support you'," said Mr Pilling. "We feel we are providing a service to the public. We believe keeping the hospital open is vital to the future of Bridlington."

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