THE patients’ pressure group South Lakes Health Action has supported the whistle-blowing consultant’s calls for top management resignations at the Morecambe Bay trust.

Secretary Alan Price said: “We concur absolutely with the sentiment expressed that it is time, after the raft of all the disclosures highlighted by the recent audits and by what we have learnt, that the directors of the trust took some responsibility for the failures of the last several years and resigned en masse.

“This condition is not something that has occurred overnight it has been building for some time as was highlighted at the recent public governors’ meeting at Lancaster Town Hall.”

Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Tim Farron said: “This consultant’s views are very strong and not surprising.

"They reflect the views of many NHS professionals in the area, some of which have been expressed to me privately.

“However, most don’t want to be at loggerheads with their management and want to see them solve these problems.

“The clinical, admin and support staff in Morecambe Bay hospitals are very professional and try to keep their morale up for the sake of patients.

"However, when I speak to them as an MP it is absolutely clear that their morale is low and their confidence in the management of the wider trust is low.”

Mr Farron said he had confidence that measures in the new Health Bill, due to be implemented next year, would improve matters at UHMBT.

“The bill will create health and wellbeing boards on which local councillors will sit to hold trusts to account for their decisions.”

John Woodcock, Labour MP for Barrow and Furness, said: “The problems in the Furness General maternity unit and awful failures to recall outpatients for repeat appointments has rightly triggered intense formal scrutiny of the trust’s management.

“I urge any member of staff who has concerns to raise them formally with Monitor and the Care Quality Commission – the bodies who are investigating the trust.

“When I met staff from Monitor this week, they assured me that they are taking a thorough and urgent approach to examining the problems and the capacity of the trust board to deal with them.

“But through this difficult process, it is clearly in the interests of the many thousands of patients who are continuing to receive essential care that there continues to be an atmosphere of calm at the hospitals across the area.

“We love our local hospitals and want to see whatever it takes to put these problems right.”

David Morris, Conservative MP for Morecambe and Lunesdale, said: “Along with other MPs, I have recently met with Monitor (the foundation trust regulator).

"I await their report which is due to be published later this year.

"I will also be meeting with Simon Burns MP, Minister of State for Health.”