Concerns are rife that struggling social services could not cope if more care was moved out of hospitals and into people’s homes.

Controversial options currently being considered by health chiefs include closing beds at some of north Cumbria’s cottage hospitals.

A public meeting last night saw people from Carlisle and surrounding communities flag up their fears.

One of the main themes was whether cash-strapped social care services, which are already struggling to meet demand, could cope with an influx of extra patients.

Canon Michael Manley, of Carlisle Cathedral, said: “In my experience care services in the city are weak. Unless something is done, it’s all just going to back up.”

The meeting, at Carlisle’s Tithe Barn, was organised by the Success Regime – the body charged with tackling serious problems in the local NHS.

As part of this process bosses from all health local trusts and other organisations are coming up with a joint vision to improve care, overhaul major debts and tackle a recruitment crisis.

The panel included representatives from the acute hospitals, community and mental health and local commissioners.

Hugh Reeve, of NHS Cumbria Clinical Commissioning Group, accepted that social care was struggling.

But he said the only way to tackle that was to join up care.

Other key challenges he set out included attracting health and care staff to Cumbria.

But John Holland, of Brampton hospital’s League of Friends, said: “I believe that you need at least as many staff to deal with people in their own homes as you do in community hospitals.

“Where are these staff coming from?”

Helen Ray, chief operating officer at North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust, said her vision was that in future staff would work across different settings, wherever they were most needed.

She added: “With the success Regime, every partner has made a commitment to take those boundaries down, making the right thing happen and putting staff in the right place.”

But Mr Holland said the previous Closer to Home plan of 2007 promised similar things. “It didn’t happen then, so why do we believe it’s going to happen now?” he added.

Eveline Dugdale, of the Wigton League of Friends, said community hospitals are playing a vital role.

“Length of stay has gone down significantly. They are the meat in the sandwich between the acute hospital and home.

“The care people get at these hospitals makes the difference between whether they are fit to go home or need residential care,” she added.

Her view was backed by former cancer patient Margaret Jones, who also cares for a husband with Alzheimer’s.

She said: “I had an operation in Carlisle.

“I was transferred for a fortnight to Wigton hospital where they had physio and occupational therapy rehabilitation. I received the best of care and after a fortnight I could look after my husband again.”

Anthea Beattie, also of Wigton, asked why the community hospitals could have beds cut when the vast majority of the area’s £80m debts were within the acute hospitals.

But bosses insisted the aim was to get the right mix of services for the area, not simply be led by money.

The meeting, along with another in Longtown yesterday afternoon, was part of a series organised by the Success Regime.

For other dates and venues visit www.successregimecumbria.nhs.uk .