Hospital campaigners in Maryport have a new battle on their hands after a visit by Success Regime boss Sir Neil McKay on Tuesday.

The focus changed when local GP Brian Money told the chairman of the regime that Maryport had already piloted the type of integrated care that was at the heart of the Success Regime proposals.

When asked why the pilot had failed, he replied: “No support.”

Claire Molloy, chief executive of Cumbria Partnership Trust, admitted: “We did not support you, but we will in the future.”

At a Save Our Beds campaign meeting on Wednesday night, it was agreed to hold her to that promise.

But the campaigners want the integrated service they were promised originally, which would include local GPs, community nurses and agencies and, most crucially, hospital beds.

Kate Whitmarsh, development officer with the Ewanrigg Local Trust, has contacted Ms Molloy about a promise to consult with campaigners.

SOB campaign chairman Bill Barnes suggested that it might be time now to stop the fortnightly meetings to discuss strategies.

However, the vast majority of the 52 people at the meeting disagreed and they will continue.

He said it was remarkable that, 16 weeks into the campaign, the meetings were still attracting so many people.

Around 300 protestors stood in silence to meet Sir Neil on Tuesday.

They presented him with a petition signed by more than 7,000 people and a box containing around 350 individual letters of protest.

The chairman of the regime told the town that the removal of beds from Maryport, Alton and Wigton was what he described as “the emergent thinking” at the moment.

He added that no decision had been made and would not be made until after the public consultation which would start in September. He believed this would run until the end of December and no actions would be taken until early next year.

Both Sir Neil and Ms Molloy claimed that the removal of beds from community hospitals was due to staffing issues and better use of resources rather than money.

They claimed that integrated care and the use of a combination of nurses, therapists, social workers and volunteers would help people remain out of hospital or reduce their stay.

Maurice Tate, secretary of the hospital’s league of friends, refuted claims that an integrated care system would not require more nursing when staff are already hard to recruit.

He challenged Sir Neil: “I will tell you in writing that I will give you all my money if you can introduce this system without three times the nurses you need now.”

Both Sir Neil and Ms Molloy disputed that figure and Ms Molloy said she believed recruitment would be easier because nurses would be working as part of a team and not in isolation in the hospital.

Sir Neil also said the Success Regime would look at ways to improve community car travel and ambulance services as part of the package. He and Ms Molloy have also promised ongoing conversation with Maryport’s Save Our Beds campaigners.

The meeting was organised by Workington MP Sue Hayman.