Jeremy Hunt to have say on Cumbria maternity care

Councillors have decided to refer plans to change maternity services in west Cumbria to the Health Secretary, in a crunch meeting today.

It means proposals to downgrade consultant-led maternity care at the West Cumberland Hospital will go before Jeremy Hunt.

They had initially also voted to refer two other proposals: changes to how sick children are cared for, and plans to close beds at community hospitals in Wigton, Alston and Maryport.

However, the final decision of the Health and Scrutiny Committee was to accept these two proposals, while rejecting the maternity plans and referring them to the Health Secretary.