Longridge Community Hospital

An update on Longridge Community Hospital: Earlier this year, the inpatient ward at Longridge Hospital was temporarily reduced to five beds, from the previous fifteen, to account for fire safety measures for safe evacuation of frail and older patients in this unit.

Safety is a key priority for the Trust and there is a continual programme of estates work in place to always ensure safety first. Due to further inspections from NHS Property Services, and advice from the Trust fire officer, it is with regret, that the Trust, with support from Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) has taken the decision to temporarily close the remaining five inpatient beds at Longridge Hospital to ensure ongoing safety for our patients and colleagues.

Working closely with our partners at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals (LTH) and the 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.

We understand that this decision to close the inpatient ward will be disappointing for the community and our colleagues as Longridge has long been a valued community hospital. Safety must always remain our priority. 

Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust ( LSCFT)
Lancashire and South Cumbria  Integrated Care Board ( ICB ) 

Please note: clinics remain open as usual until we are advised otherwise.