Labour To Protest As Tory Under Funding Leads To MIU Closures

Local campaigners will make a last ditch appeal to the East Riding Clinical Commissioning Group, to reverse its decision to close Hornsea MIU, when it meets on Tuesday.

Proposals to be considered at the meeting include the closure of the seaside town’s Minor Injuries Unit, a move which has been approved in spite of a 10,000 signature petition and overwhelming local opposition.

Beverley and Holderness Labour Party spokesman George McManus pointed the finger of blame firmly at the Government saying under funding is leaving the health service at breaking point, he said; 

“These proposals are not about improving local services, they’re about providing services against a background of cuts in overall spending.”

“The Tories are underfunding the NHS and Social Care in the East Riding. Private care homes are closing and hospitals are at breaking point.”

“Crucially, when the MIU at Hornsea was under threat 10 years ago, we persuaded the Labour government of the need to save it.”

“Under the Tories it’s being AXED even though need, if anything, has increased. Today we are appealing to the CCG to reverse this unwise decision. If they don’t we will raise the issue with Labour’s Shadow ministers.”

“But we are not in power. The Tories could save it now if they wanted to. Austerity is a political choice. It’s not inevitable.”

The Conservative Party insist they have increased spending, Jeremy Hunt and Theresa May are constantly repeating the mantra of an extra £10bn for the NHS.

This claim was debunked by the cross-party Health Committee in the summer, whose chair, Tory MP Sarah Wollaston, said the number was both “incorrect” and “risks giving a false impression that the NHS is awash with cash”.

While the local NHS Trust is in the firing line it seems their hands are tied as they look to make tough decisions in relation to health care as their budgets squeezed by Westminster.