TEN years on from a hard-fought campaign to save north and west Cumbria’s community hospitals, protesters have reacted with dismay at news beds are once again under threat.

A new vision for healthcare, unveiled yesterday by the so-called Success Regime, could see in-patient beds removed.

Those under threat are Wigton, Brampton, Maryport, Keswick, Alston, Cockermouth, Penrith, Workington and Millom.

Sir Neil McKay, chief executive of the Success Regime, which was set up by the Government to tackle deep-rooted problems in the local health service, visited Cumbria to set out its emerging vision.

Among the most controversial proposals are the options for the community hospitals, which campaigners believed were now safe.

A key part of the plan is to set up Integrated Care Communities, bringing together all aspects of community care in each town.

The aim would be to treat more people at home and focus on preventing ill health, keeping more people out of hospital. But that brings a threat to community hospitals, which could lose their beds and instead become local care hubs, used mainly for outpatient appointments.

The Success Regime said the community hospitals will still play a key part, but it wants to “re-imagine” how it uses them.

The vision states: “Our community hospitals typically have a small number of beds and that gives us great challenges in recruitment, meeting safe staffing levels and providing medical cover. In addition some of the buildings are aging and no longer fit for purpose.”

One option is to focus in-patient beds on a smaller number of sites, covering each area. This includes creating a new 32-bed unit at Carlisle’s Carleton Clinic, and expanding the Penrith, Cockermouth and Workington hospitals. Remaining hospitals would have no beds.

An alternative and “radical” option would see all the hospitals lose their in-patient beds and instead see care delivered in the community. This would however require significant investment in community care.

The news comes exactly 10 years on from widespread protests to save the same hospitals from cuts and possible closure.

In spring 2006, the League of Friends committees from across the nine towns staged high-profile demonstrations, collected a 70,000-signature petition and travelled to Downing Street to lobby MPs.

Eventually health bosses backed down and instead came up with a new vision, which hailed the community hospitals as part of the solution to ease pressures on the big acute hospitals.

But this plan – dubbed Closer to Home – was never properly implemented, and problems across the system have worsened.

The latest developments have come as a blow for many.

The area’s Joint League of Friends is due to meet with bosses on Monday to discuss the plans and their response.

Meanwhile individual campaigners have spoken out.

Pat O’Shea, of the Maryport League of Friends, coordinated the protest back in 2006. He said: “I knew eventually that they’d drop the axe on us again but I still think it’s the wrong thing to do. The cottage hospitals have kept them out of real trouble because of their beds. Maryport is always full. It is needed.”

John Holland, of Brampton League of Friends, said that although the report appears a genuine attempt to tackle issues across the system, he has reservations about some of the proposals. He suggested that removing beds would be a premature step, and added: “Talk of a new 32-bed centre at Garlands seems strange when a 40-bed unit at Reiver House was only recently taken out of commission.

“As I understand it, community hospitals are very fully used at present, and we believe them to be cheaper for NHS and with higher satisfaction ratings for patients and visitors than the acute hospitals.”

Mr Holland added that providing effective out of hospital care in remote rural areas like those around Brampton would be difficult.

Eveline Dugdale, of Wigton League of Friends, added: “I haven’t had enough time to consider it properly but I’m very concerned about these options, especially after what happened 10 years ago.

“The potential closure of beds is very worrying – the distances we are talking about are enormous and there are difficulties with transport.

“We are meeting with the Success Regime on Monday, when hopefully things will become clearer.”


Sir Neil McKay Sir Neil said he was aware of the campaign 10 years ago, and understands that local people strongly value their community hospitals.

However he said times have changed.

“The fact it was controversial 10 years ago can’t be a reason for us not looking at it now,” he said.

“We haven’t made any decisions. What we are saying is that we have to think about how community hospitals will fit in to the network of care for the future, in keeping people out of hospital.

“We have highlighted the need for community hospitals to change but want to listen to people’s views. I hope people will be open-minded. I promise there is no blueprint already drawn up but we can’t ignore the need to change.”

Sir Neil added that at a time when the local NHS is in such debt, they have to weigh up whether it is the best use of available resources to focus on small numbers of beds at a high cost.