A PETITION has been launched to oppose the possible closure of a county hospital ward.

Fears that ward two at Dunbar’s Belhaven Hospital, which dates back more than 100 years, could be set to close this autumn were revealed earlier this week.

As well as the petition, a public meeting is being arranged for next week.

A paper outlining potential options for the ward is yet to go before councillors, with discussions set to take place with ward members next month.

Ward councillor Paul McLennan launched the petition, which will be handed over to the NHS and East Lothian Council and has attracted more than 200 signatures in just a few hours, against the potential closure.

Mr McLennan feared the move to close the ward could signal “the beginning of the end” for the hospital and urged members of the public to sign the petition in a bid to keep the ward open and stop any threat of closure.

The ward is used to accommodate patients who have left the care of other hospitals but are not yet ready to be discharged back to their home.

The Dunbar and East Linton ward member said he took a petition to the Scottish Government a decade ago about and vowed to fight any threats of closures again.

Mr McLennan was the leader of East Lothian Council in 2011 when the future of the hospital previously came under threat.

At that time, a public meeting was held involving councillors, community councillors, GPs, nurses, East Lothian’s head of adult social care, and representatives from East Lothian Public Partnership Forum, Dunbar Day Centre and Friends of Belhaven.

At that time it seemed the future was secure, at least until there were “new and improved” facilities for elderly people in the town.

Mr McLennan challenged the current council administration to provide their own assurances on the future of the hospital, off Beveridge Row.

Comments on the petition include that Belhaven is “a brilliant and essential facility” with “great staff and very homely atmosphere” and that its closure would be “a sad loss to the community”.

Fellow ward councillor Michael Veitch told the Courier a briefing for local councillors was being organised, although no date was yet fixed.

Similarly, he was keen for a meeting to be set up with both the chairman of Dunbar’s community council and the Dunbar and East Linton Area Partnership (DELAP), as well as the possibility of a public meeting in the town.

He said: “I have always been very strongly opposed to any downgrading of Belhaven Hospital and I was very opposed when the minor injuries unit was closed a couple of years ago.

“Any downgrading is a matter of concern.”

Mr Veitch stressed it was difficult to comment further without the full facts in front of him and hoped the briefing would be organised as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, ward councillor Norman Hampshire stressed there were “lots of questions still to be asked” and felt the community would have “lots of questions” as well.

He said: “There is still a lot of discussion to take place and no final agreement has been reached on ward two at this stage.”

Iain Gray MSP said: “I have been campaigning for years for more health services to be located in East Lothian, particularly at our new community hospital.

“Ward 2 at Belhaven Hospital was threatened with closure a few years ago and a very strong local campaign forced NHS bosses to reconsider their plans.

“I will be seeking clarification from NHS Lothian on what is now being proposed at Belhaven, but will certainly oppose any further attempt to reduce local health services in Dunbar.”

Jacquie Bell, vice-chairwoman of Dunbar Community Council, was part of the discussions in 2011 when she was part of East Lothian Council.

She said the issue would be brought up at the community council’s meeting next month and urged the East Lothian Integration Joint Board (IJB) to raise the issue at their meeting this afternoon (Thursday).

Mrs Bell also questioned why the issue had not been raised through either the community council or the Dunbar and East Linton Area Partnership.

She said: “They need to come clean with the community.”

An East Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership spokesperson said: “East Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership had preliminary meetings with GPs in Dunbar and East Linton and with staff at Belhaven Hospital at which we discussed the possibility of moving Ward 2 to Ward 3.

“The Ward 2 environment does not meet modern standards for patient privacy and dignity or control of infection.

“Because of this we have only been able to use around half the beds for GP patients.

“Ward 3 is more modern and would afford patients their own rooms and the possibility of more beds for GP patients.

“No date has been set for any change.

“We are now looking to set up a working group, including GP and staff representation, to take this forward.

“Belhaven will continue to provide the services it does currently - nursing home and long-term care facilities and GP beds.”