North Cumbria's new maternity boss claims the distance between the Whitehaven and Carlisle hospitals "is not actually that far".

Dr Ajith Wijesiriwardana, who has just been appointed clinical director for obstetrics and gynaecology, has insisted women and babies will not be put at risk by plans to downgrade services in the west.

Despite having to travel 40 miles to give birth, Dr Wijesiriwardana does not believe that distance poses a significant risk.

He was speaking following the launch of the Success Regime's preferred options for midwifery, which would see the West Cumberland Hospital lose its consultant-led unit down, on Monday.

All of the west Cumbrian midwifery consultants, including his predecessor, have previously spoken out against the removal of the existing consultant-led unit in Whitehaven.

Individual midwives have also condemned the plans, while the Maternity Services Liaison Committees in both north and west Cumbria have now added their voice to calls to retain 24/7 consultants.

Yet Dr Wijesiriwardana, who also works as an obstetrics consultant at North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust - based in Carlisle - believes their concerns are unfounded.

He said that women would be transferred to Carlisle much earlier, so complications would more likely develop there, and there would be a much stricter selection processes to determine which women would be suitable for a midwife-led birth in Whitehaven.


Related: Revealed: Success Regime's plans for health services in Cumbria


He said: "We have women from Appleby and Temple Sowerby still delivering in Carlisle and none have a higher mortality rate.

"The same applies in the Penrith (midwife-led) unit. If you look at the numbers there, nobody has a major problem."


Rod Harpin His view is backed by new medical director Rod Harpin, who said data does not demonstrate a relationship between the distance from hospital and the outcomes, using Wales as an example.

He said the recommendations are backed by regional and national exports.

However the News & Star stressed that at independent report by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists had concluded that both of the consultant-led units should be retained.

But Dr Harpin said there was a caveat in the report, saying that if they couldn't recruit key staff they wouldn't be sustainable.

He added that the would put measures in place to ensure women were safe - including a dedicated maternity ambulance.

Another example he gave was making sure all mothers-to-be had access to a central hotline when labour starts.

Antenatal care would also improve, ensuring all women likely to suffer complications are picked up prior to labour and a birth plan put in place - claiming this alone would save lives in future.

Have your say here