READERS have reacted after University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust revealed it is facing a ‘significant increase in demand’ at Furness General Hospital.

The trust, alongside the North West Ambulance Service, has called on the public only to seek emergency medical treatment when there is a significant risk to life.

The call comes after queues of ambulances were spotted outside the Barrow hospital at the beginning of last week.

Crimestopper posted: “When Alfred Barrow Health Centre was built, they should have added an NHS Walk-In Centre there.

“It would’ve been viable as there’s always significant demand at the hospital.”

Observer58 said: “Surely this is just back to normal after lockdown.

“Increase the staff and stop whining.

“The staff in there are superb but the system is broken at the waist up.”

Burneside1 said: “Or just accept the report at face value and try and reduce the demand on the department!

“As for ‘just’ increase the staff where’s the budget when people keep voting for austerity?

“I suppose it could come out of the wine budget you assume they have.”

Sarah Heseltine said: “Because it takes about three weeks to see a doctor and get told by the surgery to come here instead.

“You can’t win.”

Ange Carter said: “Bless you all.”

Stephen Snell said: “As stated before, non-Covid-related patient care has been bad to put it politely.

“My surgery has a three-week wait to speak to a doctor on the telephone... three weeks.

“When asked why the reply is he’s off on holiday.

“Lucky so and so to have a holiday every month.”