WCH Consultants speak out

According to tomorrow's Whitehaven News, more than 20 consultants at West Cumberland Hospital have signed a letter expressing concern at the "Closer to Home" consultation document.

The letter suggests that much work needs to be done before the proposals are clinically acceptable and fulfil the principles of good clinical care.

The 22 consultants who signed it say that they cannot support the "Closer to Home" options as they stand.

All credit to the doctors for speaking out in view of the unhelpful email from the Acute Hospitals Trust which suggested that doctors who spoke to the press might risk being reported to the General Medical Council. However well intentioned this email may have been, it was totally counterproductive in terms of the urgent need for a well-informed and constructive debate on the proposals.