New home for Cardiology and Vascular services at West Cumberland Hospital;

North Cumbria NHS has announced that Redevelopment work continues at West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven as Cardiology and Vascular services move into their new home at the heart of the hospital.

The departments are now in the centre of the hospital, in one area, making it easier for patients to access services and in a much improved environment.

You can find the departments off the main corridor, next to the restaurant and towards Coronary Care and Intensive Care. The facilities are all brand new and have been designed specifically for the specialist departments, allowing dedicated rooms to be used rather than shared facilities of the previous area.

There is an additional consulting room, a dedicated pacemaker room and a treadmill room. The move also allows patients to have scans and then be seen by a consultant in one place.

North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust (NCUH) is nearing the completion of ‘Phase 1b’ of the redevelopment with the Breast Screening service also due to move into its new home in the coming weeks. This follows Phase 1 of the redevelopment which was completed in October 2015 with the opening of the new £90m hospital.

Alan Jennison, senior chief cardiac physiologist at NCUH, said:

“The new facilities are absolutely brilliant, all of the staff are thrilled. We are much closer to the heart of the hospital and it means much improved access for our patients. It’s much brighter and roomier than before, it’s a wonderful place to work.

 “The building has also been designed to be ‘future proof’ meaning we will be able to accommodate future improvements as the service develops, which is brilliant news for the people of west Cumbria.”

Patient Graham Robinson of Crosby, Maryport said:

“I’ve been coming to the hospital since 2006 and have been in the old and new departments, the improvements are fantastic. Everything is better, the rooms, waiting areas, access, parking, it’s much brighter and what the hospital needed. The staff here are all pleasant and I wouldn’t want to go anywhere else.”

Outline business cases are currently in development for further phases of the redevelopment work at West Cumberland Hospital including the demolition of the old hospital buildings and plans to provide more accommodation and academic facilities in partnership with the University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN).