BOSSES at Morecambe Bay hospitals have issued an urgent plea for more volunteers to help patients during the coronavirus pandemic.

The University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust (UHMBT) has already recruited many of the 47 people who have so far volunteered but are on the hunt for more.

Barry Rigg, Head of Patient Experience at UHMBT, said: “The public is right to be proud of you all – and we echo that sentiment.”

Members of the public are welcome to apply to volunteer at UHMBT through the trust’s ‘Helping Hands’ scheme.

Volunteer support is welcomed on hospital wards and at the trust’s Community Recovery Centres in Kendal and Barrow.

To apply to UHMBT’s Helping Hands scheme visit www.just-r.com/enquire/volunteer/ to sign up.

A total of 665 COVID-19 deaths were recorded in England yesterday with 90 in the north west and two further fatalities at hospitals run by UHMBT.

Meanwhile, work is continuing on a recovery bed site at Kendal Leisure Centre.

At the beginning of the month, the British army was deployed to deliver beds and other equipment to the Kendal site.

The Kendal site is intended to house patients that are in the process of recovering from COVID-19 - as opposed to patients exhibiting acute symptoms - but are not yet ready to be discharged, should hospitals in the area reach full capacity.

Hospitals chiefs stress it is an emergency resource they hope to never be required to use.

UHMBT said yesterday that it had discharged a total of 192 patients who had recovered from coronavirus.

UHMBT is also urging non-COVID patients to use hospitals without fear, amid concerns some are going without treatment out of a wish not to add pressure or risk infection.

Medical director Dr Shahedal Bari said: “If you are suffering with a health issue and have doubts, please do not hesitate to seek help.

"We would rather you called 999 or attended the A&E to find an honest mistake has been made than be too late to save a person’s life.

“The doctors and nurses may look a little different at the moment, but it’s for everyone’s safety."