MP launches petition against removal of overnight doctors from Kendal hospital

MP Tim Farron has launched a petition against plans which would reduce on-call doctor provision from Kendal overnight three times a week.

Cumbria Health on Call (CHOC) currently provides out of hours mobile doctors from Westmorland General Hospital between the hours of 11pm and 8am.

CHOC are now consulting on removing the service between 2am and 8am on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Mr Farron said: "This will mean significantly increased travel times for doctors to treat patients in the South Lakes. This reduction in our local health service is completely unacceptable and must be stopped.

“It is not acceptable to put vulnerable people, including those receiving palliative care, families caring for loved ones with dementia and patients with learning difficulties, in a position where they will have to wait much longer to receive care – especially those in our most rural areas."

A spokesperson for CHOC said: "Cumbria Health on Call continually review the services we provide to our patients to ensure they receive the best possible care at the right time by the right clinician.

"I can confirm there are no planned changes to the way patients access primary care out of hours.

"As Mr Farron has expressed, staff are being consulted regarding a slight change in staffing model whereby we will reduce the presence of a site based clinician at Westmorland General Hospital.

"This is after a period of analysis that demonstrates that the requirement for the service is very much reduced and those patients who do require attention would still have access to the service they require. This will enable reallocation of our workforce in to more peak periods which would benefit both our patients and staff."

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