A controversial shake-up of health services across north Cumbria has been delayed.
Bosses were due to unveil formal plans next week, with the launch of a formal public consultation.
But the News & Star understands that the process has now been delayed for a couple of months.
This follows criticism from some groups, with calls for more transparency and detailed discussions.
It means campaigners will have more time to try and persuade bosses to save community hospital beds and hospital services in west Cumbria, including consultant-led maternity.
The Success Regime - the Government-appointed body leading efforts to transform north Cumbria's troubled NHS, which is more than £80m in debt - is expected to announce the delay later today.
It will then hold more engagement meetings with local stakeholders to talk through the options - though it is unlikely there will be any further public meetings until the formal consultation begins.
The Regime had been due to take a detailed business case to NHS England ahead of launching formal consultation in July. But that is now on hold. Instead the consultation is likely to take place at the end of the summer, though no dates have yet been finalised.
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