MP meets with Health Minister over hospital merger plans

Yesterday, local MP Tim Farron met with the Health Minister Edward Argar MP as part of his campaign to stop plans to merge the Royal Lancaster Infirmary and Royal Preston Hospital onto a single site.

During the meeting, Tim made the case that moving acute services such as A&E further away from the South Lakes would have devasting consequences for local patients.

The proposal has made it onto a longlist of 10 options drawn up by the Lancashire and South Cumbria New Hospitals Programme.

Speaking after the meeting, Tim said: "I'm extremely grateful to the minister and his team for meeting with me and listening to our case.

"It was clear that he understood the impact longer journeys for residents here in the South Lakes would have on people's health, especially the elderly.

"I really want to see investment and improvements to local hospital services, particularly at Westmorland General, but that simply cannot come at the expense of forcing people to travel even further for vital treatment."