A paramedic is the latest to raise serious concerns about plans to send women in labour from Whitehaven to Carlisle in an emergency.

Mike Oliver, who works for the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) in Cumbria, said it is impossible to get a patient there within safe time limits.

The union official added that, with the service already struggling to fill paramedic vacancies, he is worried about the extra pressure it would place on staff.

The Government’s Success Regime is recommending the 24/7 consultant-led maternity unit at the West Cumberland Hospital is downgraded.

It is part of a radical overhaul of the north and West Cumbrian NHS, as bosses look to balance the books and tackle other long-standing problems.

The preferred option would see consultants removed from Whitehaven and the majority of births taking place in Carlisle.

Only low risk pregnancies would be considered for births at a new midwife-led unit at the West Cumberland Hospital.

Although consultants would be on site in daytime hours, they would not be helping with births, just providing antenatal and postnatal care.

If anything went wrong, women would have to be rushed to the Cumberland Infirmary – 40 miles away – in a dedicated maternity ambulance.

But Carlisle-based paramedic Mr Oliver, of health union Unison, does not believe that it could make the journey quick enough to be safe.


Mike Oliver He said: “The risk is the length of time it takes – about 45 minutes. If someone needs a grade one caesarean they recommend a maximum time of 30 minutes. And that’s maximum. That would be a huge risk.

“And it’s not just those needing caesareans. There are all sorts of other things that can happen – prolapses etc. There’s also the question of what would happen if there’s a second woman that needs an ambulance at the same time.”

Mr Oliver said that although ambulance crews are trained to a high standard and can deal with births to a degree, there is only so much they can do.

A midwife would have to accompany any woman in labour, he added, resulting in healthcare staff regularly travelling along the A595 and back.

He raised his safety concerns during a meeting with Success Regime boss Sir Neil McKay this week, as well as asking for more detail about how the dedicated maternity ambulance would work in practice, for example if other emergencies came in.

“Would the ambulance be covered by a team from maternity, just with a driver, or would they want a fully qualified paramedic? We haven’t got enough paramedics as it is, so I wouldn’t want one to be sat around waiting for a transfer,” he added.

“And who would take ownership of the risk? I personally think midwives will panic at the slightest thing and transfer to Carlisle, and who could blame them, because who wants a death on their hands? But that will just put extra pressure on us.”

Mr Oliver now wants Success Regime bosses to hold more detailed talks with NWAS staff about both the risks and logistical problems he has set out.

The Times & Star is calling for a rethink of the Success Regime proposals through with our Save Our Services campaign.

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