Workington MP Sue Hayman says she has still not met with the man leading changes to local health services - seven months after he was appointed.

Her news came as about 450 people turned out to a public meeting in Whitehaven - dubbed STOP! - set up by West Cumberland Hospital campaigners to defend services.

Mrs Hayman has now called for urgent talks with the Success Regime, which was set up by the Government to transform struggling NHS services across north and West Cumbria.

It recently published controversial options - including moving more services from the West Cumberland Hospital to Carlisle and closing some cottage hospital wards - as part of what it describes as an emerging vision for the area.

Mrs Hayman said she was concerned that, despite her pleas, local people were still not being listened to by Success Regime bosses.

The Labour MP said that, after repeated calls, she has still not had a meeting with its chairman Sir Neil McKay, who was appointed in September.

She is concerned that unrest in the area demonstrates that it is not engaging properly with local people.

Success Regime bosses have denied her claims, saying Sir Neil is keen to meet with the MP.

A spokesman said that in the past few weeks it had twice contacted her office with potential dates.

The STOP! meeting, held on Sunday at Whitehaven Civic Hall, was organised by We Need West Cumberland Hospital campaign group, whose members stated they were fed up of endless consultations followed by the same unacceptable options to be put forward.

Mrs Hayman, who spoke at the event, is demanding urgent talks.

She said: "I've been meeting regularly with the health minister, I've met with the secretary of state and the chief executive of the hospital trust - the only person I haven't met is Sir Neil McKay. It's very frustrating."

Following feedback from constituents, she is concerned that the ongoing consultation is not meaningful.

Mrs Hayman added: "If people do not feel they are able to get their views across without going to a big meeting led by local residents then to me there's clearly something not working."

The campaign group has devised its own survey based on the regime's vision for local health services, saying it wants to be able to tell bosses exactly how the West Cumbrian community feels.

Siobhan Gearing, group founder, said: "About 300 surveys were handed in on the day and everyone else took them away to fill in at home.

"Many also wrote personal messages, which are also being collected to hand to the Success Regime.

"People were asking why is transferring patients 40 miles down a bad road even an option?

"Other highlighted their own stories - how they or their baby wouldn't have survived if they had been transferred to Carlisle during labour.

"A lot of people weren't ticking any of the boxes, they were just saying they didn't agree with any of the options and stating their reasons.

"We've had survey after survey but it's always the same. They say we don't want to do this - for example move consultant-led maternity - but it's still an option. Why not just rule it out?"

Also speaking at the event was Mahesh Dhebar, a retired orthopedic surgeon and member of the group.

The views from the surveys will now be collated and presented to chiefs at the Success Regime.