Dear Resident,
You may have received a Labour leaflet making false claims about the future of the Royal Lancaster Infirmary and it’s A & E.
I want to reiterate personally what the local NHS has made absolutely clear - the future of the Royal Lancaster Infirmary is secure. I have stated this in the House of Commons and the Hospital Trust locally have confirmed this on numerous occasions.
Indeed, the future is exciting. The Trust are working together with the local GP-led Clinical Commissioning Group to implement a plan to bring care closer to the patient and improve the way our NHS organisations work together. Alongside the ‘better care together’ review the hospitals Trust has been chosen as one of 29 'vanguard' NHS sites. They will receive a share of £200m to implement their plan and become a blueprint for other Trusts across the Country.
I am appalled by Labour’s scaremongering. It is another example of Labour wanting, in the words of Ed Miliband, to ‘weaponise the NHS’. It made exactly the same claims last year – they were false then and they remain false now. That’s why Labour’s health team have made no real pledges whatsoever about the Local NHS. Instead their candidates cause needless worry for patients, accuse the local Trust staff of being liars, and force the local NHS team to spend precious time rebutting Labour scare stories.
Labour claims to be the party of the NHS but in Morecambe and Lunesdale Labour has done nothing but cover up failings on their watch, undermine the Trust's performance, and criticise the clinical leaders while misrepresenting their plans.
A future Conservative Government will ensure that the ‘Better Care together’ strategy is implemented and improvements are delivered so local people can continue to enjoy an improvement in services.
While Labour seeks to scaremonger and ‘weaponise’ the NHS for votes, we are offering a positive, secure future for our health service. Over the last five years we have increased the NHS budget by over £7 billion in real terms, funding 9,500 extra doctors. We have also guaranteed to fund an additional £8 billion over the next 5 years so that you and your family can get the care you need.
It is only possible to have a strong NHS with a strong economy. I know that David Morris, your Conservative parliamentary candidate in Morecambe and Lunesdale, is fully committed to both.
Yours Sincerley
Jeremy Hunt Secretary of State for Health