Controversial plans to overhaul hospitals and health services across north and west Cumbria are set to be unveiled today.

Campaigners are waiting anxiously to find out exactly what is proposed after a series of protests against cuts to services at the West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven and bed closures at community hospitals across the area.

It follows a lengthy 'engagement' period which has seen the Government-appointed Success Regime set out its ideas at a series of public meetings.

Headline proposals to date have attracted significant criticism, not least cottage hospital bed cuts and the option to remove consultant-led maternity from the west - a move that would see a large number of women travelling to Carlisle in an ambulance to give birth.

Health bosses had promised to listen to public concern and suggestions ahead of publishing the formal options. These have now been approved by NHS England and a formal 12-week consultation is set to launch today once the recommendations are unveiled.

However, despite serious concerns, they are expected to include some sort of reduction in community hospital bed numbers - with Wigton, Maryport and Alston believed to be most at risk - along with significant changes to maternity, paediatrics and emergency care in the west.

There may also be some changes to services in Carlisle, with the Success Regime's plans to date centring around efforts to care for more people their own homes rather than hospital, along with increased numbers of patients travelling to the Cumberland Infirmary by ambulance.

The long-awaited consultation document will be made public at 12pm today, following a launch event in Carlisle this morning. Key stakeholders, such as local MPs, councils, community groups and health trust governors, will also be briefed just before the plans to public.

The proposals are likely to include more than one option within each proposal, with the Regime making clear which it sees as the preferred scenario. This will form the basis for the consultation, which will include more public meetings in communities across the area.

It is a year since the Success Regime moved in to set out its intentions - to tackle deep-rooted problems in the local NHS, including huge debts and recruitment problems.

It came after North Cumbria was deemed one of three areas of England with the most challenged health economies by the Government.

To keep up-to-date with the developments as they unfold today go to www.news-and-star.co.uk