Patients have praised the care they have received from A&E departments in north and west Cumbria.

Almost nine out of every 10 patients who visited the Carlisle and Whitehaven emergency departments last month said they would recommend them to friends and family.

Almost 600 patients at North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust (NCUH) filled out the ‘friends and family test’ survey, which asked if they would recommend the department to others.

At the Cumberland Infirmary, 83 per cent of patients said they would, while at the West Cumberland Hospital 84 per cent said the same.

NCUH, which runs the two hospitals, is currently performing above the national average on waiting times.

However it is still not meeting the national target - that 95 per cent of patients should be seen, treated, admitted or discharged from A&E in under four hours.

Figures for June show its overall performance was 91.7 per cent, compared to 90.7 per cent natioanlly, ranking 55th out of 138 trusts.

Elizabeth Klein, head of nursing for clinical standards, said: “Our staff work exceptionally hard, often in difficult circumstances and to hear their work is appreciated by our patients is fantastic.

“Even during peak busy periods, such as the recent England World Cup games, our team strive to ensure that patients are seen as quickly and effectively as possible."