Jamie Reed

Member of Parliament for Copeland

News Release

Jamie Reed calls for deeds, not words

Copeland MP Jamie Reed has called for "deeds not words" following a meeting between the Health Minister Rosie Winterton, the North West Strategic Health Authority, Cumbria Primary Care Trust, the North Cumbria Acute Hospitals Trust and hospital staff at the West Cumberland Hospital.
"The whole of West Cumbria now needs its local health service workers of all levels, health trade unions and the health trusts to work together with a clear agenda to deliver to West Cumbria world class, local, accessible health services. I want this process to begin now because time is of the essence. We need an end to the doubt and confusion; this is now a time for deeds and not words.
"The Health Minister does recognise the issues facing West Cumbria and Cumbria as a whole and is committed to ensuring the Government plays its part in delivering these world class services to West Cumbria - but it cannot deliver these improvements alone.
"I told the Minister that West Cumbria requires enhanced, not diminished services and that the removal of consultant led maternity services and the provision of a first class A&E capability at our local hospital are non-negotiable requirements.
"It was essential for the Minister to understand and experience the strength of feeling around health services in West Cumbria. It was important for my work in Westminster that she listened to local health professionals and actually met staff on wards - including the maternity ward - to listen to their views. It was also an essential opportunity to illustrate to the Minister the distances involved in travelling between Carlisle and Whitehaven and the consequences of this for health service provision in the County. Today was also an opportunity to stress the unique requirements of West Cumbria with regard to Sellafield.
“We need a root and branch understanding of all aspects of health care in West Cumbria so that every single agency with a contribution towards achieving health outcomes has a clear understanding of what is expected of it – this means GP surgeries, nursing care homes, and other social services working together and not working in isolation.
“It is absolutely clear that West Cumbria’s health services have unique problems which require unique solutions. As the country’s leading maternity services expert, Dr Sheila Shribman recently made clear, “what works in Whitechapel does not necessarily work in Whitehaven” this applies to more services than purely maternity services.”