The future of services in Cumbria

The RCN Northern region responded to a consultation affecting the way services will be delivered in Cumbria. We encouraged members to do the same. 

An independent report into all the consultation responses was commissioned and can be accessed here. 

You can read a summary or the full version of the outcome here. 

Key headline points include:

• Maternity: a consultant-led unit will be retained at Whitehaven while the trust develops a midwifery-led unit and then reviews the situation in a year.

• Children’s services: the trust will implement the preferred option from the consultation: the development of a short stay 8.00 am until 8.00 pm service at Whitehaven with some overnight beds for low risk children.

• Community hospitals: the trust will implement the phased closure of beds at Maryport, Alston and Wigton.

• Accident and emergency: 24/7 services will be available at both hospitals. There will be an ITU at both hospitals but the most seriously unwell patients will be transferred to Carlisle.

• Hyper-acute stroke services: all stroke services will be at Carlisle with rehabilitation at Whitehaven.

• Emergency surgery, trauma and orthopaedics: the current changes will be made permanent, meaning services will be centralised at Carlisle.