The women's outpatients department at Carlisle's Cumberland Infirmary has moved to a new part of the hospital.

The move is part of ongoing work at the infirmary, which has already seen the Aspen gynaecological ward close with the loss of 16 beds. This made way for a new surgical pre-admissions unit to be established on the first floor.

Now the women's outpatients department, which was previously located on the first floor near Aspen, has moved to a new home on the lower level.

Bosses say it offers new facilities and will improve services and patient experiences.

The new unit is on the lower ground floor and has been built specifically for the department.

It offers more consulting rooms and gives staff the opportunity to expand in thefuture.

Claire Penn, matron for surgery at North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust, said: All the staff are thrilled to be moving to their new purpose built home.

“The new location gives us the opportunity to offer antenatal day patients their treatments in a more comfortable environment and we will be expanding the services we can offer.”