Calls to save hospital's critical care provision

Furness General Hospital has been sending its sickest patients to Lancaster since it temporarily suspended the level 3 unit

A petition urging the NHS to reconsider permanently removing the highest level of intensive care at a hospital has hit 12,000 signatures in a week.

Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) intends to close the level 3 unit at Furness General Hospital, in Barrow-in-Furness, due to staff shortages and demand.

One of those who signed, Rosemary McGerty, 77, who lives in a retirement apartment complex nearby, said plans to send the sickest patients more than an hour's drive away were "very, very worrying".

The ICB said those patients would be stabilised at the hospital before being transferred to Royal Lancaster Infirmary.

The petition was started by Labour MP for Barrow and Furness Michelle Scrogham.

Level 3 care, for patients who need life support for multiple organ failure, has been suspended since September due to staff shortages and a lack of demand.

Rosemary McGerty said the proposals were "very, very worrying"

Mrs McGerty, who lives in Dalton-in-Furness, said: "The elderly in general around here are fearful and frightened that, should they need intensive care, it won't be available for them in the immediate."

She was also concerned that patients would be separated from loved ones.

The ICB said evidence showed outcomes were significantly better when level 3 care was carried out in larger centres.

It added that as soon as a patient steps down from level 3, they would be returned safely to Furness General Hospital for their ongoing care.

'Where does this stop?'

The move has also led to concerns about pressure on ambulance services.

Patients would be transferred 47 miles (76km) from Barrow to Lancaster along the A590.

Unison, which represents ambulance workers, said: "The trust needs to engage with the workforce and unions to discuss a properly resourced plan to reinstate level 3 critical care as a matter of urgency."

The ICB said ambulance crews had specialist training to navigate road networks under various conditions.

NFU Cumbria county chair John Longmire said it represented the dismantling of services in the area

The National Farmers' Union said the most urgent cases involving the farming community already saw people airlifted to Preston or Newcastle.

However, Cumbria county chair John Longmire said: "We do need the best level of care and if that has to be Lancaster, well so be it, but we would really prefer it in Barrow.

"It's the dismantling of the services in the area. Where does this stop?"

The ICB said the trust carried out reviews each year and if demand increased, services could be reinstated.

Scrogham said Barrow's population was due to expand by an estimated 30% following investment from defence firms like BAE.

The ICB said population relocation modelling suggested demand for level 3 critical care services would not significantly increase.

On Tuesday, Health Secretary Wes Streeting committed to a meeting between the ICB and Scrogham, after she raised the issue in Parliament.

The ICB said it did not have a timeline for its next steps, but said it would continue to work with NHS England and engage with Westmorland and Furness Council as it considered "expert advice" against feedback from residents and others.