A former health chief says he despairs of plans to transfer West Cumbrian women in labour to hospital in Carlisle to give birth.

Dr Barrie Walker has waded into the row over controversial plans to remove 24-hour consultant-led maternity care from the West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven.

Retired West Cumbrian GP Dr Walker, who is a former joint chairman of the professional executive committee for North Cumbria Primary Care Trusts, raised safety issues in transferring women to Carlisle which he said wasn’t coping with the increased demands of patients from west Cumbria.

In an open letter, Dr Walker said: “I have become increasingly despairing in recent weeks at what appears to be the progress and results of the Success process in North Cumbria.’’

Dr Walker, a West Cumbrian GP for 33 years, described the Success Regime as “unimaginative, and wanting to take the easy, least problematic options’’.

He added: “West Cumbrian women do not want turmoil in what should be a glorious time for them and their families. They want to be close to home.

“Can you imagine the time it would take for a woman in labour from my old patch, Wasdale, Eskdale, Bootle to get to Carlisle? A two-hour journey.

“And that is going to be safe? The demands on the ambulance service for transfers, the dangers inherent in such transfers, and the increasing risks put on the A595 are inevitable consequences.’’

The letter was addressed to Jeremy Hunt, Secretary of State for Health; Sir Neil McKay, Success Regime chairman; as well as health campaigners and local health trusts.

Dr Walker said the Cumberland Infirmary, Carlisle, wasn’t coping with the increasing demands.

He said: “We need two hospitals leaning on each other for support with emergencies dealt with on both sites and the elective work shared across both sites.

“I have experienced in recent times unnecessary travel for my family and myself to the Cumberland Infirmary for emergency procedures and consultations that should have been, and could have been carried out, in Whitehaven.

“We have experienced the problems of travel to Carlisle on these occasions and the parking issues at the Cumberland Infirmary.’’

The Government’s Success Regime - which is heading a major review of services across North and West Cumbria - has suggested a midwife-led unit at the WCH, with consultants available on site for assessments - but only during the day.

In the letter, Dr Walker also says the expansion of the western lakes economy demands a fully functioning hospital which can handle most emergencies on a 24-hour basis.

Recruitment of hospital staff, he claims, has been made worse by the removal of services from west Cumbria.

“The solution to recruitment is to have a fully functioning and vibrant progressing hospital in the west that you can recruit to,’’ he said.

“To tempt GPs back we must start training more of them again at the West Cumberland Hospital.’’

Dr Walker added: “I call upon the current commissioners, providers and the Success Regime to have vision and courage. To think about what West Cumbrians deserve and not of their own organisations and going for the easy least demanding options.’’

A spokesperson for the Success Regime said: “We have received the letter from Dr Walker and will be replying to it directly.

“The letter will be considered a formal response to our engagement process, which has involved an extensive programme of activity that has seen thousands of responses from people across west, north and east Cumbria.

“Once we have considered all of these responses we will draw up potential proposals for change, and these will then be subject to a further full consultation programme.”