Options for West Cumberland Maternity services revealed

The NHS Trust which manages hospital services in North Cumbria have revealed three options for the future of maternity services.

Two of the proposals by North Cumbria Hospitals NHS Trust involve withdrawing consultant-led services at West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven.

A third would be to retain both the unit in Whitehaven, and that at Carlisle's Cumberland Infirmary.

The trust said it did not have a preferred option and promised that - as required by law - there would be no decision without a public consultation.

It is therefore essential that we campaign for the third option - the idea of Mum's in Labour having to travel 40 or more miles on the A595 to the North Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle or FGH in Barros is too ghastly to contemplate.

The plans are part of a review of medical services, which the trust is undertaking in a bid to get out of the special measures it was placed in after high death rates were found following the Keogh review.

In September, thousands of people took part in a rally in Whitehaven to protest about some services being moved to Carlisle and Hexham.