"Don't close heart unit by default!" - Farron

11.11.25am GMT Thu 13th Mar 2008

Local MP Tim Farron has today issued a call to health bosses not to let the heart unit at Westmorland General Hospital close after meeting with top executives in the region on Monday. Mr Farron met with the Chief Executives of the Hospital Trust, the Primary Care Trust, North West Strategic Health Authority and North West Ambulance Service.

Reports are circulating within the Hospitals Trust that as of the 1st of May there would be no 999 emergency admissions at Westmorland General Hospital, which would mean a closure of the heart unit by default, something Mr Farron is determined to prevent.

When pressed by Mr Farron, Health bosses gave an undertaking at the meeting that closure on 1 May would not take place.

Tim Farron said:

"I was very happy to meet with the Trusts, the SHA and the ambulance service, the meeting was amicable and constructive. However, I have written to the Health Minister Ann Keen following evidence I have obtained which indicated that the hospital may stop accepting emergency admissions after the 1st of May.

"If Staff Grade Doctors do indeed leave the hospital after the start of May, this will result effectively in the closure of the heart unit, this cannot be allowed to happen."