MP wants to hear from residents about hospital care
South Lakes MP Tim Farron has urged constituents to get in touch with him and share their experiences of hospital care at Westmorland General Hospital, and also at Furness General Hospital and Royal Lancaster Infirmary.
The Morecambe Bay hospitals trust has been damned as a 'failing' health trust and has been placed in special measures. But Tim is working hard to make sure that local people get the care they deserve and is urging local people to come forward with their stories and experiences so he can work to help improve patient care.
The latest inspection report by the Care Quality Commission earlier this year, rated the trust in the critical areas of safety and leadership as 'inadequate'. They also said that Royal Lancaster Infirmary and Furness General Hospital 'require improvement'. The only hospital that was rated at or above national standard was Westmorland General which was scored 'good'.
Tim has asked people to get in touch and let him know about the care they received, both good and bad. Tim plans to take all the submissions he receives to both NHS England and Monitor, the health regulator that deals with NHS Foundation Trusts like Morecambe Bay.
Tim would like to know about the hospital care that local people received, any transport issues and correspondence with the trust. Tim is asking residents to email him at tim@timfarron.co.uk or via post at Acland House, Yard 2, Stricklandgate, Kendal LA9 4ND.
Tim said: "People deserve high quality care on their doorstep, at the moment they have a failing trust that has made small, albeit welcome strides. The staff are amazing and always go above and beyond the call of duty but seem to be hampered by trust management. People want to see real changes and not just empty words. That is why I am launching this request for residents to get in touch with their stories - both good and bad so we can improve health outcomes for local people.
"I want to take a dossier of evidence to the NHS regulators and urge them to do all they can to work with me to improve patient care."