In November we updated you on the alternative provision for future patients requiring the type of care previously delivered at our Longridge site.
Earlier this year the ward was temporarily reduced from 15 beds to five due to fire safety measures should there be a need to safely evacuate frail and older patients from the first floor of the unit in an emergency. Unfortunately, it was then necessary to temporarily close the remaining five inpatient beds at Longridge Hospital to ensure ongoing safety for our patients and colleagues.
We have been working together with Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (LTH) and the ICB to identify alternative accommodation for future patients who require services this hospital delivers for the community of Central Lancashire. To this end a recommendation has been made to temporarily relocate the 15 inpatient beds to the Cuerden Ward at Chorley Hospital. This service will be managed by Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust. The Fell View Ward at Royal Preston Hospital had been considered, however LTH may well require the use of this facility for alternative services due to the pressures that winter brings to acute hospital services. All partners have now agreed this alternative inpatient ward provision.
Please note, Longridge Hospital will remain open throughout this period and outpatient clinics currently located at the site will continue to operate as normal.
We can now confirm that, working closely with our partners at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals (LTH) and Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) we have secured alternative inpatient ward provision for any future patients requiring the type of care previously delivered on our Longridge site.
We will now work through the move from Longridge Community Hospital to the Fell View Ward at Royal Preston Hospital, with a view to opening to patients in the next few weeks.
Named 'Longridge at Fell View', the ward will accept the same kind of patients as Longridge inpatient unit and will remain there until further review work has been undertaken by NHS Property Services at the Longridge site and future recommendations are made for longer-term plans.
We will continue to work with all parties and our primary care partners and colleagues from Longridge and LTH on delivering the safest service for our patients. We would like to extend our thanks to everyone involved in seeking a safe space to continue to deliver this important service.
Please be reminded that if you attend any of the clinics at Longridge, continue to do so as usual. Should this change, we will let you know.
