CALLS for a Parliamentary debate on the future of Edington Cottage Hospital have been made by an MSP.

Craig Hoy, South Scotland MSP, has put forward a motion to the Scottish Parliament.

Last Monday, six inpatient beds were moved from the Edington to the East Lothian Community Hospital in Haddington because of workforce pressures and NHS Lothian anticipating “the worst winter on record”.

The decision was made without consultation.

An online petition was launched to “Save the Edington Hospital” and has received more than 7,400 signatures.

Haddington-based Mr Hoy, who is also an East Lothian councillor, hopes his motion will gather the necessary support to be debated. It needs to be supported by MSPs from three of the four official party groups at Holyrood.

He has also launched a survey for residents on the future of the facility.

Mr Hoy asks that residents take part so that he can gain views and show the “strength of feeling about the hospital and the local community’s determination to keep it in place”.

People can take part at craighoy.co.uk/edingtonsurvey

Mr Hoy said: “I have been contacted by residents, community groups and health professionals – all of whom are gravely concerned about the future of the hospital.

“I am deeply concerned this will be used as an excuse to permanently centralise inpatient services in East Lothian and to effectively close the Edington.

“This decision was taken without community consultation and that was wrong. The views of local people should always be listened to before changes as important as these are made.

“That is why I think it is important the future of the hospital is debated in public, in full in Parliament, where Scottish Government ministers can outline what their plans are for the hospital.

“I have already written to the chief executive of NHS Lothian and the Scottish Government to express my concerns and to seek reassurances that inpatient work and admissions will return to the Edington in the near future.”