Hornsea protest over loss of hospital's minor injuries unit

June Barton said the plans were "not desirable to anybody in Holderness"

A protest against the proposed closure of an East Yorkshire town's minor injuries unit (MIU) has taken place.

About 100 protestors gathered outside Hornsea Cottage Hospital.

Hornsea, Withernsea and Driffield MIUs could close with patients going to either two or three urgent care centres in Beverley, Bridlington or Goole.

The East Riding Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) previously said it had a "limited budget" and the move was aimed at improving services.

'Not desirable to anybody'

June Barton, a demonstration organiser, said: "I have not come across one person who is in favour of these ludicrous options.

"They are not desirable to anybody in Holderness."

The MIUs should be retained, she added.

The CCG said about 13,500 patients a year - which it described as "small numbers" - attended the three units earmarked for closure.

The other three minor injuries units at Beverley, Bridlington and Goole received about 48,000 attendances annually, it added.

The proposed urgent care units would be open 16 hours a day, 365 days a year, and there are no plans to close any hospitals, it added.

MIUs deal with patients who do not need to go to A&E and the proposed changes are part of the CCG's larger review of services.

A consultation on the plans started in October and a decision is expected in March 2017.