Staffing review after lengthy hospital closures
PA MediaAn NHS trust said it was reviewing its staffing model after one of its urgent treatment centres was forced to shut for several days due to shortages.
Keswick's Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC) in Cumbria was closed for 29 days in the last six months of 2025. In December alone the facility was shut for 11 days.
North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the UTC, blamed staff absences and vacancies.
It apologised to the community for the "inconvenience and confusion caused" and said decisions over closures had not been "taken lightly".
UTCs treat patients with issues such as sprains, broken bones, minor burns and head injuries.
GoogleFigures obtained through a Freedom of Information request show the nearest centre in Penrith, 18 miles (29km) away, never closed in 2025.
Both centres need a clinical decision maker, a nurse and a receptionist as minimum staffing to be able to open.
The trust said the recent closures of Keswick's UTC had been due to "significant staffing pressures".
"We are actively reviewing our staffing model to help improve resilience and reduce the likelihood of further disruption," a spokesperson said.
"We appreciate the community's patience and understanding as we work through these challenges."
There are two A&E departments within the trust's area - the Carlisle Infirmary and the West Cumberland Hospital - both about 30 miles (48km) away from Keswick.
