OPPOSITION is mounting over the threat to Westmorland General Hospital’s mental health ward.

Seven representatives of South Lakeland organisations have co-signed a letter opposing Kentmere’s closure.

And a petition by Westmorland & Lonsdale MP Tim Farron has now garnered more than 4,000 signatures.

In light of last week’s news that there is a 'possibility' of inpatient services remaining at the hospital, The Westmorland Gazette has also relaunched its Hands Off Our Hospital campaign.

It urges people to sign a coupon calling on health bosses to retain mental health services at WGH.

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Representatives of South Lakeland Mind, Space2Create, Growing Well, Manna House, South Lakes Carers, Riversiders Trust and Oaklea Trust wrote a joint letter to the Gazette, saying they believe the closure would represent a retrograde step for inpatient mental health care in South Lakeland.

As well as highlighting the need for services to be geographically close to patients, the organisations said there would be an increased demand on already-stretched statutory and third-sector support services. The representatives called for the ward not to be closed in June and for no further decision on the future of Kentmere Ward to be made until after the consultation.

John O’Donnell, a solicitor who specialises in mental health law, has also spoken out against the plans, saying he was appalled by the proposals. “The lack of modern facilities on the ward has been known for years yet managers, who are handsomely remunerated in return for addressing these issues, appear to have been caught unaware and acted in haste without undertaking any consultations,” he said.

“To suggest that community-care teams can cope is disingenuous as the highly motivated and committed staff are already worn out by trying to provide a service with diminished resources.”

Mr O’Donnell, who lives at Bowness and who has specialised in mental health for the last 20 years, said: “When a patient is detained in hospital, the risks of discharge can often only be assessed by granting community leave but this is seriously hampered when they are far away from home.”

Also highlighted this week were national statistics from the Health & Social Care Information Centre, which stated that in February 2016 alone, 263 of the 6,688 of those needing adult acute mental health inpatient care had to travel more than 50km away from their home postcode. Mr Farron said that if Kentmere Ward was to close, South Lakes residents would have to travel some of the longest distances in the country to access these services.

“Moving services to Barrow, Whitehaven and Carlisle would make it much more difficult for the friends and family of those receiving treatment to visit and support them,” he said.

The Gazette's Hands off our Hospital campaign states that the services Kentmere provides are essential and that it should either be improved or upgraded to bring it in line with national guidelines, or that alternative space should be found at the hospital site for its services.