A retired paediatrician claims the downgrading of Whitehaven’s children’s ward will take care back more than 50 years.

Mike Downham fears that serious childhood illnesses, including meningitis, will not be caught quickly enough if expert care moves to Carlisle.

The move is part of a radical plan, drawn up by the Government-appointed Success Regime, to overhaul the local NHS.

It would see seriously ill children travelling to the Cumberland Infirmary. Although the preferred option is to keep a children’s ward in Whitehaven with overnight beds, only lower risk children would be cared for there. Those with more serious illnesses would be transferred.

Mr Downham is firmly opposed to the plan. “I think it is an extraordinary suggestion that services for the most ill children could be discontinued in Whitehaven. The journey times are ridiculous. It’s not only 40 miles from Whitehaven to Carlisle but some will already have travelled 20 miles to get to hospital in the first place.

“This is like going back 50 years. At a very conservative estimate there were twice as many deaths and twice as many disabilities. I’m not a great one for statistics as every child’s death is one too many but it appears they are making these suggestions without even a desktop assessment,” he added.

Although he worked as a consultant paediatrician in Newcastle, Mr Downham lived near Carlisle for many years before retiring to Glasgow.

He also worked closely with the late John Platt – the first consultant paediatrician to be appointed to West Cumberland Hospital after it opened in 1964 – on research projects in the 1970s. He said he has seen first-hand how care for seriously ill children in west Cumbria improved over the years. But he fears that trend is now set to reverse if the Success Regime’s plan goes ahead.

“John Platt was the only paediatrician in Cumbria at the time. The fact he was appointed to Whitehaven not Carlisle was to do with a new understanding of how different children’s illnesses are to adults. They can develop much more quickly and unpredictably.

“Things can change very quickly, so getting them treatment quickly is much more important. Minor illnesses can evolve into serious, life-threatening situations in hours rather than days,” he said.

Mr Downham stressed that in a remote geographical area like Whitehaven, it is vital to have experts on hand who can recognise the early warning signs and act.

Mr Downham said illnesses such as meningitis were a particular worry, explaining that initially it can be difficult to tell if a child is just sleepy or if there is something more serious wrong. He said they have spent years telling parents to act on the instincts and get a child to hospital if in doubt – only to now be taking specialist care away from them.

“For that one child who is developing meningitis you have to be ready to act quickly. Every half hour you lose is a disaster. The public knows this now. Fifty years ago they didn’t really understand.”

“It’s amazing how much progress has been made in terms of child mortality in 50 years.”