FURNESS General Hospital is facing 'death by a thousand cuts, Barrow's MP has warned.
With at least one ward due to close, MP Michelle Scrogham has written for health leaders to urge them to rethink the closure, complaining that patients should have been consulted over upcoming changes at the hospital.
Bosses at the trust that run the hospital said they had reviewed the layout of beds at FGH and would close the Abbey View ward, which provides end of life treatment.
In a letter to group in charges of NHS services in south Cumbria, Mrs Scrogham warned the 'significant change' should have been made with more consultation, arguing people who rely on the service would not agree to the closure.
READ MORE: Trust responds to claims it is planning to close Furness General Hospital unit
She added: "I am also concerned that this decision, and the ongoing review of bed-configuration at the Trust, is not considering a more holistic view of the future viability of Furness General Hospital.
"Whilst it is important that more services are provided in community settings closer to people's homes we do need to ensure that services are not lost and our hospital is not made unsustainable in the process.
"Furness General Hospital is vital to our community and, following on from the
disastrous decision to downgrade critical care unit, there is significant worry that
without a proper action plan the hospital will suffer a 'death by a thousand cuts'.
"I seek your assurance that you will do all you can to ensure that this does not
happen."
In response, Jane Scattergood, the director of health and care integration for South Cumbria, defended the changes.
She said: “This development is part of a sustained programme of work to support our local people to remain safe and well at home throughout their later years, with support from the NHS and partners to keep as fit and active as possible.
“UHMBT have offered assurance that the changes are about providing an enhanced service in a different place, not about closing beds that are required to provide that service safely.
"The Trust have committed to continue to keep the changes under review to make sure each change is done safely and that they will not hesitate to pause or change plans if any concerns come to light.
“The main aims of the plans are to improve patient care and the experience of patients and colleagues and to move the Trust from a rating of ‘requires improvement’ to a solid and sustainable ‘good’."
"I’d like to be clear that none of the proposed changes mean that we stop providing any services for patients - but may change where they are provided within the hospitals and the community."
Trust bosses have said the 20-bed unit would be reduced to eight beds and then be wound down by August.
Aaron Cummins, the chief executive of the Morecambe Bay NHS trust, has said no staff will lose jobs and claimed same services will be still be offered in other parts of the hospital.
He said: “We will continue to talk to colleagues as part of the formal process and will listen to the experiences of patients who use these services to ensure that we make the right decisions. Further updates will be shared as the process is completed in the coming weeks."
In a letter to staff, the trust said changes to Abbey View would bring a better experience for patients who are not 'acutely unwell' but require rehabilitation support to promote their independence and wellbeing and that 'bed blocking' would be improved by new services at Park View Gardens care home.
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