Hospital could stop treating sickest patients
BBCSick and injured people requiring the highest level of intensive care may have to be transported more than an hour's drive away to a neighbouring county under a plan to permanently reduce a hospital service.
Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) intends to make permanent the temporary suspension of the level 3 unit at Furness General Hospital (FGH), in Barrow-in-Furness, due to a lack of staff.
Those who require lower levels of critical care will continue to be treated at FGH, but the sickest patients would have to attend Royal Lancaster Infirmary.
Medical director Prof Andy Knox said the ICB would engage with the community and staff before confirming the cuts.
FGH suspended the provision of the highest intensive care services last September due to the impact on patient safety caused by issues with recruiting enough qualified and experienced staff.
The ICB said only three of the required eight permanent consultants were in post.
Prof Knox said: "Medical staffing within the unit at FGH has been a concern for several years, with consultant cover not meeting national guidance despite significant efforts from the trust."
NHSMichelle Scrogham, Labour MP for Barrow and Furness, said she believed it was the wrong decision.
"For as long as it's been announced I've been opposed to it, I don't think they've taken into account that it's one road in and one road out [of Barrow]."
She said the route was often closed due to accidents, floods or roadworks and it was only "a matter of time before somebody pays the price for that".
"We've got a growing population in Barrow and we need to offer those services."
Since the suspension, over a six-month period 30 people have been transferred to RLI.
Interim chief medical officer Dr Caroline Brock said University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay Trust was "absolutely committed" to FGH and its future as a district general hospital.
"We understand the impact this will have on our colleagues and local community and that there may be concerns about what this means for FGH," she added.
"If the decision is made to make the changes permanent, we will work with our teams to develop a safe and effective treat and transfer model - using evidence-based learning from other trusts across the country who run similar services in geographically isolated areas like Barrow.
"We will continue to work with the ICB and support colleagues, patients and families throughout."