Hospital shake-up sparks protest

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A protest against plans to stop admitting medical emergencies to a Cumbrian hospital has attracted thousands of marchers, organisers say.

Under proposals drawn up by the local health trust, acute medical patients would no longer be sent to Kendal's Westmorland General Hospital.

Instead they would be taken to one of two district general hospitals.

Protesters criticised the cost-cutting move and an estimated 5,000 people took part in a demonstration on Saturday.

The Morcambe Bay NHS Trust believes it would save money and be safer for patients if they were taken to better-equipped hospitals in Lancaster or Barrow.

However, demonstrators want improvements to the local hospital.

The proposals are at the consultation stage and the public has until 13 September to comment.