The Cumberland Infirmary merged with another hospital

A review of hospital services in north Cumbria will continue, despite the resignation of a health trust's chief executive.

The North Cumbria Acute Hospitals NHS Trust accepted the resignation of Nick Wood on Wednesday.

Mr Wood had been instrumental in setting up a special group to look at ways of making savings at both the West Cumberland Hospital and the Cumberland Infirmary.

The review will be published later this year, and health officials at the trust say it will not lead to service cuts.

Mr Wood, who took up his post in September 2001, had to deal with budget problems and rising waiting lists at both the West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven, and the Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle.

Last week he took annual leave, amid allegations that a report by a health watchdog has been critical of the management of the Trust.

More pressure

The Commission for Health Improvement is expected to publish its report next week.

Barbara Cannon, who chairs the Trust, said the past two years have been a challenging time, with the merger of two hospital services into one organisation.

She said the Trust has not been achieving the targets set in the government's NHS plan, and there were increased pressures because of a rising number of emergency admissions.

But a Carlisle MP said Mr Wood had been made a scapegoat.

'Difficult job'

Eric Martlew says that within the health service there is some sympathy for Mr Wood.

He said: "I'm sad to the extent that I think Mr Wood had a very difficult job bringing the two hospitals together.

"I think that there is a feeling in the hospital that he has taken responsibility for others and that he has been made a bit of a scapegoat really."

The director of finance and deputy chief executive, Peter Scott will be the acting chief executive until a permanent new appointment is made.