MP wants to hear your experiences of local health services

5.54.49pm GMT Tue 9th Sep 2008

South Lakes MP Tim Farron is calling on local NHS staff and patients to let him know their experiences of local hospital services after the closure of the acute medical wards at the Westmorland General Hospital in Kendal.

Local residents have already been contacting Mr Farron concerned that the Royal Lancaster Infirmary is not coping with the increased workload created by the transfer of acute medical services. Mr Farron will use the evidence as part of the judicial review being put together by the NHS SOS campaign group. He will also raise the evidence with local health bosses, and health ministers in Westminster.

Mr Farron will be available in his office in Kendal from 10am to 3pm this Friday, 12 September.

Speaking today Mr Farron said: "Everything I hear suggests that there is lots of evidence we can use as part of a judicial review of the decision to move acute medical services to Lancaster. The RLI is clearly not coping with the extra workload - be it through limited capacity at A&E leading to the backing up of ambulances, the pressure on services like X-ray, or the severe lack of car parking on the RLI site.

"Anyone who would like to speak to me about their experiences on Friday is guaranteed confidentiality. It's only with the help of the local community that we'll be able to overturn the decisions of local health bosses."