Longridge Community Hospital
House of Commons · Petitions · 1 Sep 2026 · 11 speeches · Official Report
The petition of residents of the constituency of Ribble Valley,
Declares that Longridge Community Hospital serves patients in a wide geographical rural and semi-rural area, many of whom need health services within easy reach of their homes, but its inpatient services were temporarily closed in November 2025, with beds relocated to Chorley Hospital in December; and further declares that this temporary relocation has placed strain on many residents and left people fearful of the future of health services in the Longridge area.
The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Government to direct NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board to commit to a full reopening of the hospital to provide health services to benefit the community, and to promptly address fire safety concerns, providing a timeline to reassure residents of when to expect a resolution to their concerns.
And the petitioners remain, etc. -[Presented by Maya Ellis , Official Report, 7 July 2026; Vol. 789, c. 281. ]
[P003217]
Observations from the Minister for Secondary Care (Karin Smyth):
The Government are aware of the temporary relocation of in-patient beds from Longridge community hospital to Chorley hospital due to fire safety concerns.
The responsibility for the delivery, implementation and funding decisions for NHS services rests with the appropriate NHS commissioning body, which in this case is Lancashire and South Cumbria integrated care board. This is because decisions about local NHS services are best taken as locally as possible, with the aim of securing high-quality, accessible healthcare services and delivering best value for the public from the local NHS budget.
The Government expect local NHS systems to develop clear plans for reverting temporary service changes or to develop plans for the permanent reconfiguration of the service, following the appropriate process.
Any substantial planned service change should be subject to appropriate engagement-in many cases, through public consultation-and meet the Government and NHS England’s tests to ensure good decision making. There must be clear and early confidence that a proposal satisfies the Government’s four tests, which include strong public and patient engagement, consistency with current and prospective need for patient choice, clear clinical evidence base, and support for proposals from clinical commissioners.
The Government understand that Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB is working closely with Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS foundation trust and NHS Property Services to consider the options for these services. The Government expect the ICB to engage with the local community, patients, and staff as part of any future decisions on these services.