Jamie Reed highlighted the disruption caused by the Success Regime – which is consulting on the future of healthcare in north, west and east Cumbria – and the dedication of staff despite this.
“They are working in the most unacceptable and extraordinary and sometimes unimaginable conditions,” the Copeland MP said.
“I welcome every single improvement brought about by them.”
He was particularly full of praise for the reduction in falls, pressure sores and other incidents, but issued a word of caution when looking at the lack of ‘never events’ since February.
“Never events are very often symptoms of overheating systems,” Mr Reed explained.
“The period they refer to are not pressurised periods in hospitals.
“It’s when the hospital services are overloaded and over-pressured and under-staffed that never events happen.
“I sincerely hope these improvements continue over the hectic winter months.”
While there are many positives, Mr Reed fears that the implication that the CQC report simply backs up the Success Regime’s preferred options proves the consultation is a done deal.
Mr Reed continued: “I think that the consultation, taken in tandem with the Sustainability and Transformation Programme which has just emerged – and repeats all the preferred options of the Success Regime – shows the consultation process is once again proven to be a disgraceful sham based on a dodgy dossier which was based on false assumptions such as population.
“It appears our economy in north and west Cumbria is being set up to fail, and the CQC just highlights this.
“When you look at the CQC recommendations for paediatric units at the Cumberland Infirmary and West Cumberland Hospital, you can clearly see the effects of the failure to recruit at the West Cumberland. That failure was always going to be found out.”
The Success Regime is overhauling the local NHS – including looking at removing consultant-led maternity from West Cumberland Hospital.
The children’s ward, emergency health services, urgent stroke care and complex trauma are also under threat, as are beds at community hospitals across the area.
Thousands of people have backed our petition calling for the Government to rethink its proposals – but we still need more people.
The latest support came from young mother Briar Adair, who made a video explaining why her baby would not have survived without the dedication of the West Cumberland Hospital staff.
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