Trust faces council probe over ward shake-up plans

A council scrutiny committee will also meet to discuss the review of services at Furness General Hospital

A hospital trust's decision to potentially close or repurpose several wards without a public consultation is to be investigated by a group of councillors.

Furness General Hospital, in Barrow, Cumbria, faces proposed changes as part of a review of beds at the site.

University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust (UHMBT) said no consultation was needed because there were no changes or reductions to services, although locations may change to improve patient care.

Furness Locality Board - which ensures "local voices are heard" - said it would start an investigation early in December about why public talks did not take place.

Westmorland and Furness councillors have also called an "extraordinary meeting" of the adults and health scrutiny committee over "significant concerns" about the planned shake-up.

'Proper scrutiny'

Liberal Democrat Dyan Jones, committee chair, said members found out about the plans shortly before information became public.

"In these circumstances we felt it was necessary to take the unusual step of calling an extraordinary meeting to ensure these plans could be properly scrutinised," she said.

At Wednesday's meeting, NHS representatives will be able to provide more details and explain the reasoning for their approach to public engagement.

The committee will consider whether to make recommendations for action, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Labour's Tony Callister, chair of Furness Locality Board, said he welcomed the meeting ahead of its own investigation.

Aaron Cummins, trust chief executive, said: "This review looked at how our beds are configured across the three main hospital sites and showed that there are opportunities for us to improve how we use them.

"These proposed changes will help us ensure our patients receive the right care, at the right time, in the right unit; and reduce the time they have to stay in hospital."

He said staff had been consulted, as per trust policy, to give them the opportunity "to shape future plans".