PENALTIES imposed on the NHS Trust which covers South Lakeland should be lifted and the funds spent on vital medical equipment.
That was the message from MP Tim Farron to Health Secretary Matt Hancock when the two met this week.
The Westmorland and Lonsdale MP explained that while the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay Trust was in debt, it had in reality been well managed for a number of years.
And he told former Conservative leadership candidate Mr Hancock the £2m fine imposed on it as a penalty for this financial situation was a result of the funding formula in which the rural nature of the area worked against it.
Mr Farron said the fine was unjust because of these circumstances and made a plea for the money to be redirected and to be instead spent on funding the provision of a new MRI scanner for a hospital in the region.
Mr Hancock confirmed that he would examine the issue and promised an update in the near future.
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