A DEMONSTRATION was set to be staged outside a £20m new hospital in Beverley today, to coincide with the publication of a critical inspection report by the NHS watchdog.
Admissions have been suspended at the East Riding Community Hospital after a Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection.
The hospital, which opened less than a year ago, was forced to slash its number of inpatient beds from 30 to 12 after an unannounced visit from the CQC.
Inspectors identified issues surrounding staff training and changes required to the building in Swinemoor Lane.
George McManus, Labour's spokesman for Beverley and Holderness, was among campaigners planning to demonstrate outside the hospital.
He said: "This is an absolute scandal and highlights the mismanagement of the NHS under the Tories' health reforms. I'm convinced the new hospital is a prime target for private health providers and that this is the first step in the privatisation process.
"It's a scandal that less than a year after the new hospital opened, two thirds of the beds are closed to patients."
But Beverley and Holderness Conservative MP Graham Stuart accused Mr McManus of scaremongering over the future of the hospital.
Mr Stuart said: "The allegations are absurd and upsetting for local people who campaigned long and hard to reverse plans under the last Labour Government to shut every NHS bed in this constituency."
Mr Stuart insisted he welcomed the CQC inspection.
He said: "While under the last Government, hundreds of people died while the regulator failed to intervene, I am pleased we now have a regulator who puts the patient first, steps in and insists on high standards.
"That is what lies behind the temporary reduction in bed capacity at this hospital, not some ridiculous privatisation plan.
"The mix of patients has included more acute cases and there was a need for additional training and upskilling of the staff."
Mr Stuart revealed he is being treated at the hospital after his recent skiing accident.
He said: "I am receiving regular physiotherapy treatment there and I have been struck by the positive feedback I have had from so many constituents about the treatment they have had there.
"Once this issue is sorted, which I am confident it will be, my focus will be to see the expansion of the services offered and an extension of the times that those services are available."
Humber NHS Foundation Trust did not want to respond to Mr McManus's comments following its previous statement about the inspection.
