Amicus urge people to attend meeting to save Bridlington hospital   

25 January 2007

Amicus trade union is urging members of the public as well as staff to attend a meeting to discuss the future of Bridlington hospital.

Amicus say as many people as possible need to attend the public meeting, planned for next Tuesday (30 January) to express concerns about plans to downgrade Bridlington hospital to community hospital status.

Amicus say the proposal, which is currently out to public consultation, would result in people travelling for a minimum of forty minutes to either Scarborough or Hull hospitals to access acute services and will undoubtedly result in deaths.

Amicus' regional officer, Terry Cunliffe, said: “We believe that these changes will be disastrous for the local community who will have to travel many miles to get treatment, even in emergency situations.

“If patients are suffering life threatening illnesses such as a heart attack, this could literally be the difference between life and death, and paramedics serving the hospital agree.”

Amicus say that, if these proposals go ahead, there will be no doctors and no consultants at Bridlington hospital which will be downgraded to a rehabilitation unit and people will have to travel either 22 miles to Scarborough hospital or 38 miles to Hull hospital to get treatment. The unions say that holiday traffic in the summer and poor weather conditions in winter slow travelling time considerably along both routes which are ‘b' roads.

Note to editors:
The public meeting is taking place at Bridlington Town Hall on Tuesday 30 th January 2007 at 6 pm.

Mick Pilling (Chairman) SAVE BRIDLINGTON HOSPITAL CAMPAIGN ACTION GROUP
Would like to thank AMICUS the UNION for there continued support; as we fight to protect services, jobs and the Hospital;    

Thank you Mick