Peterborough hydrotherapy pool users 'left bed bound' following decision to shut site

“The loss of hydrotherapy at St George’s is having a devastating on impact on some people’s lives”
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People who relied on treatment at Peterborough’s St George’s Hydrotherapy Pool have been left bed bound and relying on more medication since the site was shut, the pools’ Friends and Service Users’ Lead has said.

The Peterborough Telegraph exclusively revealed that the pool was to close earlier this year – a decision confirmed by Peterborough City Council’s cabinet in July.

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Campaigners had tried to save the site, highlighting the impact the closure would have on people with medical conditions who relied on the pool.

Now Karen Oldale, St George’s Friends and Service Users’ Lead, has revealed some of the impacts the closure was having.

Karen said: “I am incredibly concerned about the impact the closure of St George’s is having on hydrotherapy users' health and wellbeing.

“I have been told stories of people becoming bed-bound, developing diabetes. losing the ability to walk and to climb stairs. There are others who are no longer going out and using more medication, such as morphine, now.

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"So many of St George’s users were accessing the pool to avoid or postpone surgery such hip and knee replacements. They are bound to be affected too.

The impact the closure has had on users has been revealedThe impact the closure has had on users has been revealed
The impact the closure has had on users has been revealed

"Many of St George’s users had learning disabilities. The pool was very important to them. I am very concerned as to how they and their families might managing now.”

Karen said a survey showed that a third of users said the closure of the pool had negatively affected their emotional well being by a score of 90/100.

Nearly 40 per cent ranked the negative impact on physical ability at 90/100.

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Karen said: “I think we can say the loss of hydrotherapy at St George’s is having a devastating on impact on some people’s lives.

“And as this evidence shows, sadly most people have not found alternatives.

“My hopes are that everyone can work together to find and produce an affordable and accessible interim and most importantly, a long-term solution. A new, professionally built and run hydrotherapy facility. One which offers genuinely affordable and accessible hydrotherapy to everyone who needs it in the community. My fears are that this will not happen.”

A planning application for a new hydrotherapy pool, to be operated by city doctor has been submitted.

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