The controversial organisation behind cuts to health services across Cumbria is being disbanded.

The Government's so-called Success Regime led the consultation over plans to downgrade services and close beds across north, west and east Cumbria.

Despite widescale opposition, many of its proposals were pushed through by NHS Cumbria Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) - though some services have been given a temporary reprieve following a backlash from communities, patients and NHS staff.

Ten thousand people signed a News & Star petition opposing the plans as part of the Save Our Services campaign.

Now it has been confirmed that the Success Regime programme - announced in June 2015 by the Secretary of State for Health Jeremy Hunt - has formally come to an end.

Its aim was to bring together organisations across the local NHS to tackle deep-rooted problems.

But campaigners have questioned whether those aims have been achieved, with opposition to the agreed plans still high and many fearing they will not address many of the issues.

However local health bosses insist the area is now in better shape as a result of the Regime, led by Sir Neil McKay.

Stephen Eames, chief executive of North Cumbria University Hospitals Trust and the lead for the area's Susustainability and Transformation Plan (STP), said: “We now have a credible plan for delivering a sustainable health service for our communities.

"We recognise that it has been a challenging time for staff and our communities while we have had these difficult conversations and made difficult decisions. Carrying on as we were was not an option."

Stephen Childs, chief executive of NHS North Cumbria CCG, added: “We are now focusing on the future and how to involve our communities at a much earlier stage, sharing the challenges the NHS faces in a much more transparent way, and developing the solutions together.

“We have already committed to the process of co-production – or put more simply, working together – around community hospitals and the maternity and paediatric services.

“There is a still a long way to go, but west, north and east Cumbria has a very clear vision, credible plan and the confidence of the health system, both locally and nationally.”