Serious concerns have been flagged up about cancer services in north Cumbria.

The issues came to light in a recent review.

However, hospital bosses stress that an action plan is now in place to address each of them.

The concerns relate to chemotherapy and symptomatic breast cancer services in Carlisle and Whitehaven.

It follows a Quality Surveillance Visit by external assessors to look at its compliance with national requirements.

This happened at the end of September and findings were reported to the board of North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust this week.

The report flagged up three “immediate risks” and six “serious concerns”.


Helen Ray Chief operating officer Helen Ray explained that the issues in the breast cancer service related to the lack of digital mammography.

But she said the equipment at the Cumberland Infirmary and West Cumberland Hospital has since been upgraded, as reported last week, and now meets national standards.

Assessors were also concerned there was only one pathologist who operated alone, but Mrs Ray said an additional member of staff has now been recruited.

Staffing was also an issue in chemotherapy, but again she said they have also been successful in recruiting in oncology to an extent, with work continuing to fill other vacancies.

The review also called for improvements to the Henderson Suite chemotherapy day unit at Whitehaven.

This was due to be completed as part of the next phase of the West Cumberland Hospital redevelopment, but she said they are looking at what they can do in the meantime.

In Carlisle, the Reiver House building is now being used for chemotherapy and oncology clinics.

Out-of-date policies and procedures were also flagged up, and Mrs Ray insisted these were already being addressed.

She added that the review team also reported that they had observed good practice in some areas.

After receiving the written report on October 6, the hospital trust completed and then within two weeks had returned a full action plan addressing the issues raised.

This was subsequently accepted by NHS England and the trust’s progress will now be monitored. The full report will be made public next month.

Mrs Ray said she was happy that all of the issues flagged up were already being addressed by the trust. They have now either been addressed or are in progress, she explained.

The report to the board added: “There remain significant challenges across the service to ensure full compliance by all disciplines.

“A collaborative event is planned for January 2016 to bring together the service, especially clinicians, with the quality surveillance team, to examine good practice, work on key priorities and increase recognition and ownership of the benefits of the peer review process.”

Cancer waiting times at the Carlisle and Whitehaven hospitals are improving, the trust board was told this week.

Although the trust continues to under perform against national standards, Mrs Ray said October had seen them hit the two-week wait target for the first time in several months.

A recovery plan is in place, due to be complete by February next year.