PCT approves "Closer to Home" revised proposals

Cumbria's Primary Care Trust has approved this week the amended version of the "Closer to Home" proposals for the future of NHS services in the northern two-thirds of the county.

The revised proposals include at least 220 beds at the West Cumberland hospital or its successor and that the hospital will continue to provide trauma care.

This is not the end of the story: we must continue to ensure that there is public involvement in protecting a full range of hospital services in Cumbria.

The trust's decision has been seen as paving the way to replace the West Cumberland Hospital with a new acute hospital in West Cumbria. However, there remains a great deal of uncertainty over where any new hospital will be and how it will be funded.

We must not get into a situation where money has to be diverted from patient care and providing health services to pay for new buildings.