Flooding to cost NHS in Cumbria 'millions'

Temporary buildings are being installed to provide GP surgeries.

The cost of maintaining community health services in flood-hit parts of Cumbria is likely to run into millions of pounds, NHS bosses predict.

Two GP surgeries were destroyed and hundreds of people were cut off from health services after the collapse of bridges in the November floods.

NHS Cumbria claims it could cost almost £7m for temporary services before any permanent health facilities are built.

The county suffered widespread flooding after unprecedented rainfall.

A series of measures are currently in place to provide support for residents.

These include, temporary accommodation for GP practices in Cockermouth, new health clinics for communities cut-off from the centre of Workington by road and additional GP and community nursing cover for flood-hit areas.

In Cockermouth and Seaton, more than 26 interconnected temporary buildings have been erected to serve almost 20,000 patients.

Costs quadrupled

NHS Cumbria say some travel costs for community health teams have quadrupled due to the extra mileage caused by road and bridge closures.

Health professionals in Cockermouth are working to fast-track existing plans for a new community hospital in the town which will provide a permanent home for GP and health services.

Some help to meet the extra costs is expected to come from regional health funds.

Dr John Howarth is a Cockermouth GP and a clinical director at NHS Cumbria. He said: "Some services are now being delivered differently to ensure patient care is maintained and we will continue to work alongside local communities to help them rebuild and recover.

"The support we have received so far from the North West strategic health authority has been invaluable and we are confident that extra financial support will be provided to help meet the additional cost to local health services from this unprecedented event."