Trust chiefs say there are no plans to move services at present

A group was set up a year ago to look at ways of making services at the Cumberland Infirmary, in Carlisle, and the West Cumberland Hospital, in Whitehaven, more efficient.

The two hospitals were brought together as the North Cumbria Acute Hospitals NHS Trust in April 2001.

Now there are fears that all cancer services are to be moved to Whitehaven.

The move is one of a number of options being considered as part of a review of clinical services at the Cumberland Infirmary and the West Cumberland Hospital.

Grace Watson has just been released from hospital after her second mastectomy.

She has suffered from cancer for 10 years and is one of several patients worried about services being moved to Whitehaven.

'Keep services here'

Ms Watson is advising managers at the hospitals' trust to leave services as they are.

She said: "I can't see why they want to move things to West Cumberland Hospital when we have a good service, with everything we want, here in Carlisle."

A spokesman for the trust said there are no plans to move cancer services at the moment.

A report by the Commission for Health Improvement, published on 27 February, said North Cumbria Acute Hospitals NHS Trust lacked a clear strategy and was not treating some patients quickly enough.

The report came a week after Nick Wood, the trust's chief executive, resigned 18 months into the job.