MP helps launch campaign to save Kendal heart unit

3.46.41pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 24th Apr 2006

Tim Farron MP helps Tony Impey launch the 'Have a heart' petition

Local MP Tim Farron has helped launch a campaign to save the Coronary Care Unit, Stroke Unit and maintain the provision of acute medical emergencies at Westmorland General Hospital. Tony Impey, a user of the Coronary Care Unit and patient representative on the Cardiac Rehabilitation Group for Morecambe Bay, has organised this campaign.

Tim will today visit the Coronary Care Unit at Westmorland General Hospital to meet nurses, hospital staff and users of the unit to discuss with them the implications of recently published Hospital Services Review. This Review will also provide the main focus point of Tim's first Health Forum later in the day.

Tim commented: "It is vital that our hospital services stay local. Thousands of people signed my petition against earlier proposed closures which led to a great community success. I hope people will once again sign their names to this petition to protect the Coronary Care Unit, Stroke Unit and the provision of acute medical emergencies at Westmorland General Hospital. We need to show to health trust bosses and the Government that cuts are not acceptable".

Tim is asking that users of the Coronary Care Unit, Stroke Unit and acute medical admissions at the hospital write to him with personal stories of using these services. Tim will then pass these letters onto the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay Trust to ask that they are taken into consideration in any decision regarding the future provision of these services at Westmorland General Hospital.

A stock of petition forms has been left at the office of Tim Farron MP in Kendal, for a copy, use the link below.

Related Link:

'Have a heart' petition form (pdf file).