New Hospital to reject PFI

I am not surprised that the NHS Trusts in Cumbria would prefer to avoid PFI for the new hospital building to replace the West Cumberland.

However much sense there may be in the principle of trying to get private sector money and business know-how involved in improving the services offered by the public sector, PFI has not been a huge success, and the Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle has not been a good advert for the scheme.

However, the NHS Trusts really need to get a move on, or they may find that the money is simply no longer there. If course, if they rebuild and modernise the hospital on the present site, they don't to spend three months on statutory public consultation about the siting, they can just get on with improving the facilities and hospital services on offer.

Happy New Year 2009

Wishing everyone who reads this a happy, healthy, and successful New Year 2009. May this be a year in which West Cumberland Hospital, Millom Community Hospital, and the Mary Hewitson Cottage hospital, all move forward in a positive way.