MP steps up vascular services campaign

MP Tim Farron has called on councillors to refer the proposal to close vascular services to the Secretary of State for Health.This follows the MP's  Early Day Motion in parliament to ask the Government to intervene along with Ambleside and Grasmere councillor Heidi Halliday’s e-petition to save this vital service. The e-petition placed on the government website can be found here: http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/38468. Currently over 300 people have signed the petition and Tim hopes many more residents will sign it.

He  has also written to other local MP’s such as Jamie Reed, Eric Ollerenshaw, Ben Wallace, David Morris and John Woodcock to ask for their support for the campaign

County councillors in Cumbria and Lancashire will decide on whether to accept the proposed closure, or to refer it up to the Secretary of State on 25th September at a meeting in Preston’s County Hall.

In a letter to the committee and the councillors making the decision, he  asks them to consider that “because of the high level of concern over this issue the decision should not be made at a local level but at a national one, passing it on to the Secretary of State”. In a letter to local GP’s in the area, Tim has urged them to support the view that this decision should be considered of strategic national importance.

He says, “The proposal to move vascular services from Morecambe Bay would have dangerous consequences. Our vascular services unit have not only developed a local reputation but also a national one. I want councillors to agree with me to keep the unit open at Lancaster. If they are unsure about that they must pass the decision to the Secretary of State for Health. The one thing they must not do is to agree to close the unit.

“I am grateful for all the support we have received so far on this issue. I hope that councillors will back the campaign to keep this vital service.”