Flevoland concerned about hospital closure

The closure of the hospital in Lelystad would be unacceptable and could lead to life-threatening situations, the province of Flevoland and municipalities in the province said in their response to financial problems facing MC IJsselmeer hospitals. The hospital group applied for deferment of payment on Teusday.

The main establishment of MC IJsselmeer hospitals is located in Lelystad.

In a statement the province and municipalities point out that Flevoland is a vast area and that it is already difficult to meet the statutory arrival times for ambulances, NU.nl reports. "With the disappearance of the hospital along with acute care, this becomes even more difficult and can lead to life-threatening situations."

Closing the hospital will also make it difficult for many Lelystad residents to find care or visit sick relatives. "Some do not own a car and can not pay the transport costs to other hospitals, for example to visit a sick child.", the province and municipalities wrote.