Published at 11:09, Thursday, 10 November 2011

BOTH parties bidding to takeover North Cumbria’s hospitals have been put through to the next stage.

Dr Neil Goodwin

Current bosses announced yesterday (Wednesday) that both Northumbria Healthcare and an alliance between the Cumbria Partnership, which already runs community services, and Newcastle Hospitals remain in the competition.

But the final decision will now be made in January 2012 instead of February.

Dr Neil Goodwin, chief executive of the trust board, said he had decided to reduce the time it took in response to the anxiety of patients, staff and the public.

He said: “I have been involved with other acquisitions that have been more streamlined. I think this process will deliver an acquisition result but given that the acquisition is a new process for the NHS - with hindsight we could have done it quicker.”

The eventual winner will takeover the running of Carlisle’s Cumberland Infirmary and Whitehaven’s West Cumberland Hospital.

It follows long-running financial problems at North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust.

As a result it cannot become a ‘foundation trust’ in its own right – as required by Government. Instead, bosses are looking to be acquired by an existing foundation trust, inviting bids earlier this year.

Initially there were three interested parties involved but Morecambe Bay pulled out following high-profile problems in its maternity department.

Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk