Advertisement

Councillor calls for Success Regime's proposals to be scrapped

Credit: ITV Border

A councillor is calling for the Success Regime's public consultation into healthcare in West Cumbria to be scrapped.

The group has been tasked with improving healthcare, and has put forward a number of plans, including proposals to downgrade maternity services.

Councillor Rebecca Hanson says that would put the lives of mothers and babies at risk.

In response to criticism of their plans to downgrade maternity care in West Cumbria, a Success Regime spokesperson said:

In considering the future of local maternity services the NHS in West, North and East Cumbria has taken into account a number of factors including the risks and benefits attached to each option.

Whatever the configuration of maternity services giving birth involves elements of risk. We have been clear that this consultation involves a choice between options that carry different risks.

We are aware, of course, that travel distances and times are a key concern for mothers-to-be. We have reviewed key documents such as a recent Public Health Wales Observatory Review into the impact of distance/travel time to maternity services on birth outcomes. This review notes it “did not find conclusive evidence to support a causal link between increasing distance, or the time, required to travel from mothers’ residence to maternity services and adverse birth outcomes.

We have done our best to address questions raised by the public at a series of public meetings and we will continue to do so.

– Success Regime Statement