Patients have been contacting Rosie Cooper MP following the decision to move the Diabetic Eye Screening Programme (DESP) from Ormskirk Hospital to Aintree, until late December.

Many constituents have contacted her concerned after seeing a sign on the hospital building saying 'no screenings being carried out at present'; the MP's contacted Virgin Care, Southport & Ormskirk Hospital, West Lancashire CCG and NHS England on behalf of constituents.

NHS England have responded to state that ‘there has been some IT problems with the new location’ and that ‘the DESP is working to resolve the IT issues and aims to resume clinics at Ormskirk by the end of December 2018.’

This afternoon, MP Rosie told QLocal: "Residents are contacting me worried and seemingly uninformed of what is going on, they just turn up at the hospital and see a sign on the door telling them to go to Aintree or Southport.

“I understand from the correspondence that there are IT issues to overcome, but of greater concern to me is the patients who are due their screening are struggling to get to appointments as due to the eyedrops used they shouldn’t drive to the hospital.

“This leaves residents facing an arduous and costly journey from across West Lancashire to get to Aintree University Hospital in Fazakerley.

“NHS England have now assured me that patients who are due their annual screening appointment will be provided with information about the temporary arrangements and the support to be offered to those who have problems with travelling to and from the clinics.

“Patients who may require support from patient transport will also be provided with contact details for the North West Ambulance Service.”