Work on the next phase of the West Cumberland Hospital is set to start at the end of the year – but the final plans will depend on the outcome of an upcoming public consultation over services.

Bosses are about to sign off designs for some services, including breast screening, cardiology outpatients, the vascular laboratory and the hospital mortuary.

A demolition programme is also planned in order to create the new main entrance by summer 2018.

The new-build part of the redevelopment is already complete. The next phase is to transform some of the existing buildings and create a new main entrance.

However the plans will be influenced by the consultation into proposals drawn up by the Government’s Success Regime. Set to start later this month, this will determine exactly what services are retained at the Whitehaven hospital. Areas under consideration include maternity, children’s ward and stroke services.

The North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust said work on the next phase is planned to start at the end of the year. A spokesman said planning for floor layouts have been led by clinical teams, but will now be finalised by the redevelopment project team with architects, engineers and technical specialists. Copeland Disability Forum will also be involved.

The plans would see breast screening at the front of the previous children’s ward, with easy access to the main entrance.

Cardiology outpatients and the vascular laboratory will be at the back, accessed via the new hospital – giving cardiology staff good access from the Coronary Care Unit.

In order to create a new main entrance, some of the old buildings must first be demolished.

Stephen Eames, chief executive, said: “I am pleased that plans are now progressing quickly for the next stage of the redevelopment.

“Bringing further clinical departments into the new building is a priority and we look forward to the completion of the next phase.”