Hospital trust admits failure to meet basic targets following Acute Services Review

11.20.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 1st Oct 2008

Tim Farron and the NHS SOS campaign group have been at the forefront of the campaign against the cuts at Kendal's Westmorland General Hospital

Papers before today's board meeting of the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust show that they are failing to meet basic targets following cuts to services at Kendal's Westmorland General Hospital.

The trust have highlighted in their key performance indicators report that they are failing to meet the four hour target in their A&E services, and that the situation is particularly bad at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary. They go on to say that while they usually find it difficult to meet the four hour target during the summer months, the situation has been made worse this year due to the implementation of the Acute Services Review.

Speaking this morning, Mr Farron said: "That the trust has not appeared to realise that there would be extra pressure in Lancaster as a result of cutting services in Kendal beggars belief. Not only do patients have to wait for long periods of time in A&E at Lancaster, but we also know that patients are often left queuing in Ambulances outside A&E because there isn't enough space in the department for anyone else.

"I am calling for an emergency meeting with hospital and ambulance service bosses to look at this situation. We simply can't remain in a position where the lives of my constituents are being put at risk because of failing local health services. Health bosses need to admit that they got it wrong, and reopen the Westmorland General to medical emergencies."