SOUTH LAKES MP DISMAYED AT NEW A&E WAIT TIME FIGURES WITH 677 PATIENTS WAITING OVER 12 HOURS

New figures released in early January (12/01/23) have revealed the extent of the NHS crisis in Morecambe Bay.

In University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay, 1371 people waited over 4 hours to be seen in December. Even more alarmingly, 677 people waited over 12 hours to be seen in December during the winter crisis.

Meanwhile, the average ambulance response time for the most urgent incidents in the North West was 9 hours and 58 minutes in December - well in excess of the NHS target of 7 minutes.

Response times for urgent conditions such as heart attacks and strokes are even more concerning. Ambulance response times in the North West for these Category 2 emergencies are now an hour and 12 minutes, far exceeding the 18-minute target.

The Liberal Democrats have set out a five-point plan to tackle the ambulance service crisis. The party is demanding the Government release the money they promised to help discharge patients from hospitals, as soon as possible.

Tim Farron MP, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for the North of England said:

"The Government's failure to tackle the crisis in our NHS is letting down people in Cumbria and putting patients' lives at risk. How much more evidence do Ministers need? They either don't care or just can't grasp the scale of this problem.

"Unacceptable and heart-breaking delays mean the Government is falling far short even on its own targets.

"Far too many people in Cumbria are having to wait too long to get the treatment they need. In many cases, this is literally a matter of life or death. People in our area deserve so much better.

"Our NHS isn't just at breaking point - it's splitting at its very seams. We need action from the Conservatives. Liberal Democrats are demanding the Government release the money they promised to help discharge patients from hospitals and launch a campaign to recruit the extra paramedics and ambulance staff we need."