A Cumbrian MP has told the government that 30 million pounds of cuts planned at the trust which runs Kendal's Westmorland General Hospital are "ludicrous".
Tim Farron met the Hospitals Minister, Dan Poulter, after hearing that the cuts have to be made in the next year.
Mr. Farron says the hospital is suffering because of mistakes by the previous management.
Watch the full report from Tim Backshall below.
More than 600 people may have suffered due to delays in outpatient appointments at Morcambe Bay NHS Trust's hospitals.
Read the full storySouth Lakes MP Tim Farron has called for an apology to all the local residents affected by the outpatients problems.
It's after the news that the Morecambe Bay NHS Trust has written to people whose outpatient follow-up appointments were delayed to tell them that their care may have been affected.
The trust, which has faced a series of reviews by health regulators Monitor and the Care Quality Commission (CQC), and has seen a drastic change in leadership over the past few months. It has been criticised over its failure to follow up on outpatient appointments.
The problem with delays in outpatient follow-up appointments at the Trust was highlighted last year. Around 19,000 people had their outpatient appointment delayed and an extra 1,100 clinics were put on to help the backlog. In a statement Mr Farron said:
– Tim Farron MP"I would like to thank staff across all the hospitals for working so hard to clear the backlog and ensure patients are receiving the attention and treatment that they deserve. But I think the management need to take this opportunity to say sorry to the people who have been inconvenienced, concerned or affected by this.
"Now it is important that we continue to work with Monitor and the CQC to ensure that we get this trust back on track - providing the best possible care for all patients across the Morecambe Bay area."
More than 600 people may have suffered as a result of delays in outpatient appointments at the hospitals run by the Morcambe Bay Hospital Trust, which includes the Westmorland General in Kendal.
The trust has contacted 19,000 patients who had their outpatient appointments delayed to explain that their care may have been affected.
The University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust reviewed all outpatient appointments and found that 663 people may have been adversely affected as a result.
Sir David Henshaw, the interim Chair of the Trust, said: “It is unacceptable that these delays occurred. Local people are right to feel that they have been let down by this Trust in the past.
"The problems are being addressed. There is still a lot to do but I want to be clear: providing safe, high quality patient care will always be our priority. We will not preside over unsafe services."
Sir David hasn't ruled out moving services back to the Westmorland General Hopsital
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Dr Colin Wilkinson from South Lakes Health Action group said they welcomed the appointment of Sir David Henshaw.
He said: 'Sir David has an impressive CV and reputation. I'm pleased to hear he wants to work with us but I didn't send a letter a month ago with no reply
'Hopefully he will be in touch soon. There does need to be change and I agree it may take a couple of years to get right and we wish him all the best.'
The interim chair of a south Lakes hospital trust criticised by health watchdogs in a series of reports has outlined an action plan to improve services.
The chief executive of the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay Trust resigned from his post last month.
It followed a series of critical reports from watchdogs Monitor and the Care Quality Commission into staffing at A&E and outpatient follow-up appointments.
Sir David Henshaw has been brought in as an interim chairman to turn things around at the Trust which runs Kendal's Westmorland General.
He said:
There's some immediate things to do and some short term things to do but I think it will take two years to turn the trust around.
'What we've got to do is fix some basic things about systems and processes and change some of the leadership issues and also we've got to focus on the culture.
– Sir David Henshaw, Interim ChairmanAt the moment there's a big gulf between clinicians, doctors and managers. We've got to bring those two groups of people together behind a clear vision."
