Cumbria’s MPs have spoken out as the county’s NHS Trusts are in the bottom two segments of the new NHS League Tables show ‘growing inequality’.

The four trusts that run Cumbria’s health service with University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust and North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust these two are in the Acute Hospital Trusts league table.

While Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust and Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust are on the non-acute table.

The Ambulance Trusts are responsible for the emergency response, NHS 111 and patient transport, with North West Ambulance Service providing this for Cumbria.

North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust, Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust and Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust all came in the fourth segment of the league tables.

While University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust came in the third segment.

The MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale Tim Farron said: “These figures lay bare the growing inequality in our NHS. 

“What we must avoid is a vicious circle, where lower-ranked hospitals struggle even more to attract staff and resources, and patients lose confidence in seeking care.

“The priority must be fixing the basics: recruiting and retaining frontline staff, boosting morale, and making sure every community gets the quality of care it deserves.

“The Liberal Democrats will be pressing the Secretary of State to set out what actions the Government is going to take to deliver the real, urgent improvements across the NHS that families up and down the country need to see.”

Michelle Scrogham MP for Barrow and Furness, whose constituency is home to the Furness General Hospital which is ran by University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust said: “The recently published NHS league tables were introduced to boost transparency and drive improvement.

“Our NHS was underfunded for too long but we are now seeing the extra investment and reforms that will turn that around.

“That has included the additional £22m a year for University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust to reflect its large geographical area.

“I will continue to work with trusts and with other local MPs to ensure that we see the progress we all want to see.

“That includes the work to ensure that University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust listens to local people and backs down from the disastrous proposal to permanently downgrade the critical care unit at Furness General Hospital.”

Carlisle MP Julie Minns whose constituency trust, North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust, came 130th out of 134 said: “The Trust’s position is extremely alarming.

“I cannot accept that this performance can be attributed to the challenges of serving a rural and remote population, particularly when other Trusts in similar areas have ranked considerably higher.

“I have written to the Board to demand an urgent meeting within the next week to understand the plan and timescale for improvement.

“Our NHS was left in a shocking state after years of chronic underfunding by the previous government. Since taking office, this Government has made tackling waiting times a top priority, investing £26 billion in the NHS and delivering millions of extra appointments so patients in our constituency receive the timely, high-quality care they deserve.”

While Josh MacAlister, Whitehaven and Workington MP also works with the NCIC said: “The NHS league tables published this week make for grim reading here in West Cumbria.

“North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Trust is ranked 130th out of 134 trusts. That places it among the most challenged in the country – and that is simply not acceptable for the people of West Cumbria.

“The Labour Government introduced the league tables to boost transparency and drive improvement and the trust now has the opportunity to reset and raise its performance.

“I’ll be working closely with other local MPs to hold the trust’s feet to the fire.

“The patients they serve deserve nothing less than sustained, tangible progress as we rebuild our NHS from the ground up.”