Royal Lancaster Infirmary declares highest alert level for fourth time in four months

A major hospital has declared the highest alert level for the fourth time in four months.

Royal Lancaster Infirmary has announced it has gone into Opel 4 due to "high demand and pressure" and a high number of patients with severe or urgent conditions.

The hospital said the alert allows them "to be able to take additional steps to maintain safe services for our patients and help us cope with the significant and growing demand we are facing. "

In a statement released at the end of December, the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust said they are “at risk of not having the required money in the bank by January 2026 to pay the things we need to”.

As a result they say this is “leading to some very serious decisions around things like what beds we can provide, what amount of elective activity we do, and what we can and can’t pay for.”

Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Tim Farron says the news proves it is "madness" to cut hospital beds.

He said: "It’s absolute madness to be closing beds at a time when pressure and demand at Royal Lancaster Infirmary is at the highest level.

"Patients are already waiting hours in pain to be seen at A&E. How on earth can the Government justify cutting funding for our hospitals trust which is leading them to cut bed numbers?

"That’s why the Government must U-turn and must do so now."

Opel 4 (Operational Pressures Escalation Level 4) is the highest alert level in the NHS, signifying that a hospital or local health system is under severe pressure and unable to deliver comprehensive care

The hospital previously declared Opel 4 on 27 October 2025 due to "increased pressure".

"Increased winter pressure" saw the alert declared again on 29 December and 6 January.

Royal Lancaster Infirmary have been contacted for a comment.