MP issues ultimatum to Mental Health Trust to re-open ward 4

3.00.00pm GMT Tue 13th Nov 2007

Local MP, Tim Farron has written to Stephen Dalton, the Chief Executive of the Cumbria Partnership NHS Trust to demand that he provides a firm date on which Ward 4, which was temporarily closed earlier this year, will be reopened. Mr Farron has spoken to and received a number of letters from concerned constituents who have suffered since the closure of ward 4. Since the closure of Ward 4, some patients have been inappropriately sent home and others have been sent for treatment in Barrow, which leaves them very isolated from their friends and family.

At a meeting with Mr Farron in August, Mr Dalton stated that Ward 4 was to re-open in the autumn of this year.

Tim Farron said:

"Many of my constituents have contacted me, all of them expressing a great deal of concern about this. I have written to Mr Dalton to ask that he urgently sets a date for reopening Ward 4, and hope that he will keep the promise to reopen this autumn.

"For mental health patients, ward 4 has provided essential support and its closure have caused real distress for patients and for their family and friends. It is essential that Ward 4 reopens quickly.