Maryport could become a centre of excellence for palliative care – with new technology playing a part.

Health professionals, palliative care experts, care homes, bereavement services and local organisations met last Friday to discuss how Maryport could care for terminal patients if beds are removed from the local hospital or any other changes recommended in the Success Regime report due out in March.

The fate of the terminally ill and their families was identified as one of the most major concerns as the town faces cuts to local services.

The meeting heard technology could be used to bring specialist palliative care skills to the town, with video links, for example, to the Loweswater specialist palliative care unit at the West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven or the Eden Valley Hospice in Carlisle.

Becoming a centre of excellence could see residents, social care, health care and voluntary-sector workers working, learning and training to look after people together to create early care plans and avoid inappropriate admissions to hospital.

Save our Beds campaigner Sharon Barnes said Maryport hospital was known for the care it gave to the dying.

She added: “We have spoken to hundreds of local residents about the potential closure of beds at Maryport Cottage Hospital.

“Their biggest concern is how the excellent end-of-life care provided by the hospital is replaced. People are very worried they will either die in an acute hospital far away from their friends and families, or they will die at home without the care that they need or they will end up in a care home that they and their families cannot afford.”

Dr John Howarth, deputy chief executive of the Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, said half of Maryport’s patients die in hospital – but only 14 percent in Maryport and the rest in acute hospitals.

The other half die in a nursing or care home or at home. Twenty six per cent of people die at home.

Dr Howarth said: “It is fantastic to see a community-led approach happening in Maryport.

He said the partnership was committed to working with the local community to design services that are effective.

Kate Whitmarsh of the Ewanrigg Local Trust, who helped organise the event, said: “If most people would like to die at home and yet only a quarter of patients are achieving this there is obviously a lot of room to improve.

“We have a responsibility to face up to this difficult and very sensitive topic. All of us need to be involved – it’s a whole community problem and a whole community solution.”

A wide ranging discussion was held among people who understand the health needs of this community.

They included the trust, North West Ambulance Service, Save Our Beds campaigners, Cumbria County Council health and care services, district nurses, Maryport Health Services, Maryport therapy team, Ewanrigg and Netherton Tenants’ and Residents’ Association, Palliative Medicine, Granville Court Care Home, Cruse Bereavement, the Victoria Cottage Hospital, Ewanrigg Local Trust, Hospice at Home West Cumbria and the Maryport Hospital League of Friends.

Dr Dan Berkeley, GP at Maryport Health Services, put some of the options to the group.

He is now urging the public to attend a drop-in session at the Ewanrigg and Netherton Community Centre on February 16 from 2pm to 4.30pm to comment on emerging plans and offer any more suggestions or to ask any questions they wish.