To: Matt Hancock, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care

 

Without any warning, the government has announced it will consult the public on closing the Royal Lancaster Infirmary and the Royal Preston Hospital, to replace them with a so-called super-hospital. The project would be part of the government’s scheme to build 40 new hospitals by 2030 – we fear that they want to accomplish this by knocking 80 hospitals down.

 

The idea that patients in South Cumbria and North Lancashire should travel even further to access emergency health care and other services is totally unacceptable. It’s essential that local services are provided for local people ensuring they’re accessible for everyone who needs them.

 

Cat Smith and the Labour team will fight tooth and nail to make sure this project does not go ahead. Cat says: “I haven’t spoken to one person who thinks this is a good idea – indeed my inbox is full of emails from Lancastrians shocked by the government’s proposal.

 

“So I have some advice for the government. Don’t waste public money on a public consultation. I can tell you now what the outcome will be – near universal opposition to a plan that would put lives at risk. Instead invest that money to improve our existing hospitals and to pay our health care workers what they are worth and deserve.”