WCH campaigners meet Health Minister

A delegation of West Cumbrian Health campaigners went to the Department of Health today to meet  Ben Gummer MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Care Quality.

The meeting was arranged following Secretary of State Jeremy Hunt’s cancellation of his scheduled meeting with the group.

Campaigners Mahesh Dhebar, Rachel Holliday, Siobhan Gearing, Lynne Davies, Molly Davies, Mike Bulman and Carole Woodman went with the MP for Copeland to meet Ben Gummer, and set out the case for the retention and improvement of services at the West Cumberland Hosptal, and at local Community Hospitals including Keswick Hospital.

The seven campaigners shared their personal experiences of the NHS in West Cumbria, and explained the difficulties that they and others have faced due to the transfer of services from Whitehaven to Carlisle.

The delegation handed a letter, penned by local Health campaigner Annette Robson, to pass on to Jeremy Hunt. Moreover, they also shared with Ben Gummer a confidential document containing personal testimonies that outline the critical need for consultant led emergency and maternity services ast the West Cumberland Hospital.

Ben Gummer responded to the testimonies given by explaining that he would relay the concerns raised to the Chair of the ongoing Success Regime, Sir Neil Mckay. He encouraged the campaigners to look at the Success Regime proposals when they are published, and he outlined the role that independent reconfiguaration panels play in local health economies.