The Intensive Care Unit at Furness General Hospital has been temporarily limited due to staffing shortages.
The University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay Trust have decided to only allow those into critical care in levels one and two.
Level Three care - the most serious cases - will continue to be provided at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary with an expanded bed base to accommodate additional patients where required.
Patients who fall into Level Three require advanced respiratory support alone or basic respiratory support together with the support of at least two organ systems at an advanced level.
This level includes all complex patients requiring support for multi-organ failure.
The trust blamed the decision on an unsuccessful campaign to increase recruitment - a problem seen nationally - and Barrow's 'remote geography'.
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Dr Wendy Craig, Clinical Director for Surgery and Critical Care at UHMBT, said: “Medical staffing within the critical care unit at Furness General Hospital has been a concern for several years.
"The current structure of the consultant cover is not meeting national guidance and is having a significant impact on the health and wellbeing of the clinical team - with many covering additional shifts beyond their contracted hours.
“Despite intensive recruitment efforts and consideration of different service models, the situation poses a risk to the safety of patients and colleagues."
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Level One means: Patients at risk of their condition deteriorating including basic support for a single organ system or those recently relocated from higher levels of care, whose needs can be met on an acute ward with additional advice and support from the critical care team
Level Two is: Patients requiring more detailed observation or intervention, including basic support for two or more failing organ systems or post-operative care and those ‘stepping down’ from higher levels of care
“Please note that this is an interim measure due to a deterioration in medical staffing and it will be continually reviewed," Dr Craig added.
"Active recruitment to medical vacancies will continue, and should we see medical staffing improve, we would revisit the interim arrangement.
“We appreciate this temporary change will impact on local communities, but it is vital we protect patients and colleagues and keep them safe.
"All colleagues, patients and families directly impacted by this change will be supported to ensure they are fully informed and engaged as required.”
The Trust has actively tried to resolve the medical staffing issues in many ways including seeking consultant medical cover from the wider Critical Care Network and reviewing the potential to use consultants from the RLI to provide cross cover, said bosses.
However, these alternatives either proved to be unsuccessful, unsustainable or unfeasible, they said.
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