An MP has written to the Health Secretary after it was claimed a man who had a suspected broken leg was turned away from the A&E department at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary.
The MP for the South Lakes, Tim Farron, said he was contacted by one of his constituents who lives in Kendal, who needed to attend hospital after a fall on Monday night.
Kendal’s Westmorland General Hospital doesn’t have an Accident and Emergency department, with the RLI the nearest available facility. There is an Urgent Treatment Centre there that operates from 8am to 10pm, seven days a week.
Mr Farron said the man had to be driven by a friend to the Royal Lancaster Infirmary after he was told there were no available ambulances.
But, they were informed that there would be an eight hour wait to be seen, and were advised to go home and try again the next day.
Writing to Wes Streeting, Mr Farron said: “Secretary of State, this is an absolutely appalling state of affairs, and not what my constituents deserve.
“Despite the best efforts of the dedicated staff who work there, A&E at Lancaster is a terrible bottleneck; it’s always congested, in part because it is too small to be fit for purpose.
“Our local NHS had been working incredibly hard on plans for a new hospital in Lancaster. They’d designed it, identified a new site, and had just begun a consultation with residents. That was until your department announced that work on a new hospital won’t be allowed to start until 2035 at the earliest.
“The congestion in A&E is also partly due to 25% of the beds at Lancaster being occupied by people who cannot leave hospital because of inadequate social care.
“And yet, the absolutely critical review the Government has commissioned into social care won’t finish reporting back until 2028.
“Secretary of State, while we wait another three years for the review into social care to conclude, and while we wait another 10 years for work to start on building a new A&E in Lancaster, please will you outline what immediate work your department is doing to reduce the perilous state of our local health services?”
Earlier this year it was announced that the building of a new hospital to replace the Royal Lancaster Infirmary may not start until 2038.
The government announced the timescales for its New Hospital Programme, saying the expected construction start date on a new RLI will be between 2035 and 2038, at a cost of £1bn to £1.5bn.
They said this was a "realistic timetable" and that the previous Tory government's commitment to deliver 40 new hospitals around the country by 2030 was "behind schedule, unfunded and therefore undeliverable".
The new hospital to replace the Royal Lancaster Infirmary is being earmarked for a preferred site at Bailrigg East close to Lancaster University, it was announced in December 2023, after the 94-acre greenfield site was sold to the NHS.
Read more:
Work on building new Lancaster hospital to start between 2035 and 2038
Beyond Radio contacted University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust for a response to Mr Farron's letter, but at time of publication of this article, had received no response.
Morecambe children's nursery announces plans to close during extreme heat
Lancaster MP responds to Sir Keir Starmer's resignation as Prime Minister
Carnforth High School praised as a "caring community" in Ofsted report
Body of man found in Lancaster park
LISTEN and PHOTOS: Armed Forces weekend will return after massive crowds enjoy biggest ever event
Morecambe MP says Sir Keir Starmer "has made right decision" as Prime Minister resigns
Limited edition artwork will raise vital funds for Lancaster community group
Green Heritage Plaque marks first home of Lancaster University
New home revealed for £20m Morecambe West End regeneration scheme
Wooden nests take flight in Lancaster and Morecambe to stop decline of endangered birds
Veterans salute as Armed Forces Day flag raised at start of celebration weekend in Morecambe
Vandals cause delays to aqueduct sinkhole repairs in Lancaster
Extra Care scheme to open in Lancaster
Three people taken to hospital after road traffic collision in Morecambe
Injured police officer speaks of anger after jailed man freed 16 days after sentence
Morecambe woman to brave the shave to help dogs stay with their families
M6 near Lancaster to close for resurfacing
Full line-up for biggest ever Armed Forces weekend in Morecambe
Lancaster District residents thanked for embracing food waste recycling
More gridlocks in Heysham as roundabout resurfacing works 'over-run'
