Today I have written to NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board calling on them to immediately pause their process for the permanent closure of Level 3 critical care at Furness General Hospital.
This pause is essential to provide the time and stability needed for the collaborative work I have brought together to progress, focused on finding constructive and sustainable solutions.
There is real momentum behind this work, and it is crucial that it is not undermined by the ongoing threat of permanent closure.
Read the full letter:
Dear Aaron,
I am writing to you again regarding the future of Level 3 critical care services at Furness General Hospital (FGH), an issue of profound importance to our community and the long-term sustainability of healthcare provision across the area.
There is now near universal acceptance that permanently decommissioning Level 3 critical care will have far-reaching consequences. Such a decision would not only impact the most critically ill patients but would also lead to a gradual decline in Level 1 and Level 2 services. Over time, this would inevitably affect the viability of other vital departments, including A&E and maternity, thereby eroding the sustainability of the hospital.
As you will be aware, I recently brought together key partners to work on a practical and deliverable plan to restore Level 3 critical care at FGH. This working group has secured the support and engagement of Team Barrow, University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust (UHMBT), NHS England, the University of Cumbria, and central Government. Through this collaboration, we have identified several credible interventions that could lead to the safe restoration of Level 3 services. I have been encouraged by the constructive engagement of all organisations involved, and I believe there is a genuine opportunity to secure a sustainable and ambitious future for FGH. What is now required is time and stability to allow this work to progress.
The continuing threat of permanent closure is actively undermining efforts to secure the future of critical care at FGH. It is making recruitment significantly more difficult at a time when attracting high-quality clinicians is essential. The uncertainty created by the current process is counterproductive and risks jeopardising the very progress that has been made.
Given the positive developments already underway, and the negative impact that losing level 3 critical care would have on the long-term sustainability of the hospital, I am calling on the ICB to pause the current decommissioning process it is pursuing. Doing so would provide the necessary time and space for the collaborative work now in progress to bear fruit and allow a viable, sustainable model for Level 3 care to be fully developed.
I would welcome the opportunity to discuss this further and to work collaboratively towards a solution that serves the best interests of patients, staff, and the wider community.
Yours sincerely
Michelle