An open letter from Cumbria’s leaders has been released to the people of the county to stay local during lockdown. It says: “All authorities and partners in Cumbria are appealing to residents and visitors to adhere to the new lockdown guidance which are in place to protect the NHS and.
PUBLIC leaders in Cumbria have implored the public to stay local in an open letter to the county s residents. The letter, signed by MPs, council chief executives and other figureheads, says: All authorities and partners in Cumbria are appealing to residents and visitors to adhere to the new lockdown guidance which is in place to protect the NHS and save lives. Whilst it may be tempting to go out for a scenic drive in the Lake District, now is the time to stay home, look after one another and play your part to make sure that Cumbria is ready for the return of visitors when it is safe to do so.
CIVIC leaders and key figures from across Cumbria have issued a direct and unprecedented appeal to local residents, urging them to follow lockdown and so save lives. In a show of unity which aims to give the county s hospital services their best chance of not being overwhelmed as covid cases surge, more than 24 senior Cumbrians have put their names to an open letter underlining the need to stay local . The unified plea underlines just how serious the pandemic has now become - both in Cumbria and across the country. The signatories include all of Cumbria s MPs, the county s Chief Constable Michelle Skeer, Cumbria Tourism Chief Executive Gill Haigh, Richard Leafe, Chief Executive of Lake District National Park, and Lyn Simpson, Chief Executive at North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust, which runs The Cumberland Infirmary and West Cumberland Hospital.
Outpatient appointments suspended at Cumberland Infirmary and West Cumberland Hospital
Outpatient appointments at the Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle and Whitehaven’s West Cumberland Hospital have been suspended for two weeks from today due to COVID-19.
North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the hospitals, has announced it has suspended the appointments,  unless it is urgent.
The trust said: “As the number of patients with COVID-19 continues to increase, the difficult decision has been made to suspend  outpatient clinics.
“Urgent appointments will still go ahead and will be assessed on a case by case basis.
“This will be for a period of two weeks and reviewed on a weekly basis. This will enable us to redeploy medical staff to the wards where extra support is required at this time.
TWO MPs have urged the public to stick to the rules as pressure intensifies at the their local hospitals. The News & Star revealed on Sunday the North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS NHS Foundation Trust which runs the Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle and Whitehaven’s West Cumberland Hospital had been placed into Opel 4 Alert. The NHS definition of the conditions triggering an Opel 4 Alert state: “Pressure in the local health and social care system continues to escalate leaving organisations unable to deliver comprehensive care. There is increased potential for patient care and safety to be compromised.” My interpretation on what they said is it is very challenging at their hospitals, but they are managing things and managing to cope, explained Carlisle MP John Stevenson.