"Population growth means we need more hospital services, not cuts!" - Farron

10.54.13am GMT Thu 20th Mar 2008

Following recent reports that the population of rural areas such as Cumbria is set to increase rapidly over the next two decades, local MP Tim Farron has again called for the plans to downgrade Westmorland General Hospital to be scrapped. Mr Farron is concerned that a rise in population would lead to an increase in demand for services at the hospital, and at a time like this the hospital should be upgraded rather than downgraded.

Mr Farron has been fighting extremely hard over recent weeks to get the plans sent back to the drawing board, forcing the issue to the attention of the highest authorities in the Department of Health.

Tim Farron said:

"Of course the population is likely to increase in the coming years, and all of those new people will need caring for. Downgrading acute services at Westmorland General at a time like this is pure folly.

"Closing the acute wards, even if one accepts the health trusts' argument for doing so, looks incredibly short-sighted against the back drop of an increasing population and an ageing population. If the goal is to improve patient care, then this is surely not the way to go about it."