ASSURANCES have been sought over the future of Malton Hospital.

Simon Cox, director of acute commissioning at North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs), attended a meeting of North Yorkshire County Council’s (NYCC) Thirsk and Malton Area Constituency Committee on Friday.

Mr Cox gave members an assessment of the changes in service delivery at the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton, where a consultation on future services is under way, along with local developments in the use of Malton Hospital’s site.

County Cllr Lindsay Burr, who is also a Ryedale district councillor, said: “We need assurances over the future of Malton Hospital.

“Considering what is happening at Friarage, our community needs to be kept up-to-date with the situation at Malton Hospital.”

In 2012, a campaign launched by Cllr Burr, and backed by the Gazette & Herald, gathered more than 10,000 petition signatures, following a cut in opening hours at Malton Hospital Minor Injuries Unit.

The unit reopened at weekends in August 2013, but remains closed in the evenings.

Mr Cox said there were no current plans to make significant changes to Malton Hospital.

“The site is owned by York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and has one ward which is run by the Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust,” he said.

“At present the ward has 20 beds, but there are negotiations to extend that.”

Mr Cox said the hospital also offered a One Stop Clinic (OSC), an enhanced service for urology patients to allow fast access to diagnosis and treatment, as well as a range of services, including district nursing, physiotherapy, stroke service and rapid response service.

“The hospital also has an urgent care service, which is open 12 hours a day and Springwood, which provides care for people usually over the age of 65 who need specialist mental health nursing care, with 14 beds.”

Cllr Burr said that after hearing about the challenges facing Friarage it was important people were kept informed about the situation at Malton Hospital.

“We all need to take on the challenges our health service faces to ensure the services there continue,” she said.

“Local residents are very proud of Malton Hospital and the services it provides and long may it continue.”