Royal Lancaster Infirmary closes 'small number of wards' to new admissions due to Covid-19

University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust - which operates the RLI alongside Queen Victoria Hospital in Morecambe, Furness General Hospital in Barrow and Westmorland General Hospital in Kendal - confirmed today that in recent weeks, some wards have had to be closed.

However, the site remains fully operational.

Sue Smith, executive chief nurse and deputy chief executive of UHMBT, said: “In line with national guidelines, there have been occasions at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary when we have had to temporarily close wards to new patient admissions to prevent the potential spread of Covid-19.

"A small number of wards at the RLI are currently closed to new patient admissions due to Covid-19; however, we are continuing to provide services safely to patients and the site remains fully operational.

“The safety of our patients and our staff is our priority and strict processes are in place to identify and manage infections quickly and effectively and to minimise any potential risk to others.

"We are also continuing to follow national guidance regarding the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), social distancing and frequent hand hygiene for all of our staff, patients and visitors alike.”

Yesterday we reported how the number of deaths from Covid-19 across the trust had risen to 187.