Another health professional speaks out ...

Another letter published in today's Whitehaven News, this one from Bert Van Mourik who is a consultant anaesthetist at West Cumberland Hospital.

Sir

Well done to all at The Whitehaven news who were instrumental in organising last Saturday's march in support of local health services. Well done to the 4,000 or so who turned up to send a clear message to politicians and local managers.

Thumbs down to Jamie Reed for his naive and ill-timed attempt to give us all a bit of Labour party spin. What the people wanted to hear from him was what he is prepared to do to save WCH which is already in a government directed downward spiral.

Apart from starting a petition, I didn't hear anything that is likely to make a difference to teh plans that are already in progress to downgrade WCH. At least there seemed to be a wide appreciation of the fact that it is not just about CAT centres, and a new building. It is about saving what is left of the services and taking positive action to ensure their viability for the foreseeable future.

It is about regaining the services which have already been allowed to implode by stealth and neglect. Make no mistake, we are a very long way from achieving any of that and Jamie Reed will have to do a lot better and act very quickly to make a difference. Time is not on our side.

Oh, and where was Tony Cunningham? Do Allerdale constituents not use WCH?

Bert Van Mourik
Consultant anaesthetist
West Cumberland Hospital.