Ribble Valley MP Maya Ellis has welcomed assurances that Longridge Community Hospital will be back to full capacity next year.
Blog Preston reported back in March this year how the hospital had seen its number of available beds drastically reduced after fire safety concerns were identified by Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust.
The move sparked concerns among some Longridge residents that this could be a precursor to closure, with debate raging online about the future of the facility.
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Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust said at the time that the building was still open for routine referrals, but the safety of patients was its priority.
However, the borough’s Labour MP said she was confident the hospital would be back to capacity next year.
She said: “As residents will likely remember, in March this year Longridge Community Hospital saw the number of beds available considerably reduced due to fire safety concerns. This reduction then led to some conversation on social media about the future of the facility.
“Like many of you, I was keen to get an update on this and after speaking to the CEO and deputy CEO of the Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust, I’m really pleased to hear that the plan is to progress with the necessary estates work to enable the reopening of the 15 beds, potentially as early as January 2026.
“I know how special Longridge Hospital is to many people in Ribble Valley, so I’m glad to hear that this critical neighbourhood service will be running as it once was in the new year.”
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