A Cumbrian MP said she was extremely disappointed that health bosses were moving forward with proposed changes to hospitals in South Cumbria without a public consultation.
The University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust announced yesterday it will progress plans for proposed changes to Furness General Hospital in Barrow and Kendal’s Westmorland General Hospital.
Several wards at Furness General Hospital will be repurposed or closed as part of a restructuring to beds which health bosses say are to ensure patients are seen by the right clinician, in the right place and at the right time.
The trust said ward 6, which is a rehabilitation ward, at Westmorland General Hospital closed yesterday, January 31. The trust said it would provide an opportunity to use the vacant space to increase the number of patients receiving day case surgery.
The trust said following a staff consultation they submitted plans to NHS bosses, who confirmed the proposed changes do not meet the threshold for a public consultation.
MP for Barrow and Furness Michelle Scrogham said: “I am extremely disappointed that the local NHS are moving forward with their proposed changes at Furness General Hospital and Westmorland General Hospital without addressing the significant concerns local people have about these changes.
“They have refused to undertake any public consultation despite continued calls for them to do so. I am saddened, shocked, and appalled by the NHS’s disregard for the views of local people and the lack of transparency around these decisions.”
The proposed changes to wards one, four and five at Furness General Hospital are set to be complete by February 27 with Abbey View set to close in August subject to further review.
Mrs Scrogham added “There remain significant and real concerns about what these changes mean for the privacy and dignity of women undergoing sensitive gynaecological care, provision of palliative care with closure of Abbey View, the reduction of side rooms, and the ability of Park View Gardens to provide appropriate clinical care to patients that would previously have been cared for on Abbey View.
“The proposals clearly constitute a significant change to services and, therefore, the guidance is clear that there should therefore be consultation.”
The trust said it received formal notification last week that Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board and NHS England were happy for the trust to move forward with the proposed changes.
A spokesman added: “They supported our approach to implement these changes which have been based on listening to and engaging with our colleagues and wider stakeholders and addressing any issues which were raised. Therefore, it has been confirmed that these changes do not meet the threshold to require public consultation.”
However, the Labour MP called on the NHS to look local people ‘in the eye’ and explain what they are doing before any changes take place.
Mrs Scrogham added: “The NHS makes bad decisions when it does not listen to the public, and it could not be clearer that the trust is making bad decision here.”
The trust said it understood the process had been difficult for a lot of staff, patients and members of the local community.
A spokesman added: “Whilst we believe that the changes really will improve the services we offer to patients and the working lives of our colleagues, we do acknowledge that there are elements of the process that could have been delivered better.
“As we have said numerous times over the last year, there is more change ahead of us – that is inevitable.
“It’s important that we can learn from this process, and you have our commitment that we will take all the feedback we have received and have that in mind moving forward so we can keep an open and honest dialogue going with colleagues across the trust.”
