Tim Farron celebrates community campaign success as future of Coniston GP surgery is secured

Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Tim Farron has warmly welcomed the news that a new provider has been found to run the GP surgery at Coniston, following a long campaign.

The future of the practice had been put at risk after the local NHS had not received any bids to take on the vacancy, following the retirement of the village’s two GPs last July.

There were fears that patients would have been left with an hour round trip by car to the nearest full-time surgery in Ulverston.

More than 500 people in the community signed Tim’s petition, which called for a new doctor to be found so that the GP surgery could be kept open.

At a public meeting on Friday night, the Acting Medical Director for Lancashire South Cumbria Integrated Care Board, Dr Andy Knox, announced that a provider had been found – with details set to be announced in the coming weeks.

Speaking after the meeting, Tim said: “It’s absolutely wonderful news that we’ve won our campaign to keep a GP surgery in Coniston.

“Coniston's full time population is beginning to increase again, so it would be a tragedy if - after 170 years of continuous provision of a GP service in the village - Coniston was to lose their GP on our watch 

“It’s been a brilliant team effort, and I want to thank local residents and the parish council for all their hard work.

“It’s another victory for community campaigning!”