North Cumbria Integrated Care

26/03/2026

At yesterday’s Trust Board meeting, we approved a £4 million investment package to transform urgent and emergency care across north Cumbria.

The programme aims to improve the range of services available which will mean avoiding unnecessary admissions to hospital. This includes making the Same Day Emergency Care unit for frail, elderly patients on the Copeland Unit at West Cumberland Hospital permanent and opening one in Carlisle.

The Copeland Unit has shown how Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) for frail and elderly patients can reduce pressure on A&E, speed up decisions and help people get the right care without a hospital admission. Thanks to its success, we’re now making the service permanent at WCH and rolling out a new frailty SDEC at the Cumberland Infirmary.

Leanne Armstrong, Senior Acute Care Practitioner in Frailty, said:

“The new SDEC service for frailty has been a real game changer for our patients. We’re now able to assess, treat and support people much more quickly, often helping them avoid a hospital admission altogether. Families tell us they feel reassured by the calm, focused environment, and patients are getting home sooner with the right care in place. It’s been incredible to see the difference with safer care, faster decisions and a much better experience for some of our most vulnerable patients.”

Further investments in the £4m package are:
• Recruiting more staff to open the Urgent Treatment Centre in Carlisle
• An increase in doctors working in acute medicine so more decisions can be made about patients at evenings and weekends in Carlisle and Whitehaven
• An expanded Same Day Emergency Care Unit (SDEC) at the Cumberland Infirmary
• Creating a new medical workforce recruitment team to help us to be less reliant on high-cost temporary agency and locum staff

Pictures show Leanne and the team at the new SDEC unit and Leanne with 90 year old Nelly, currently using the new unit.

Read more here: https://www.ncic.nhs.uk/news/trust-welcomes-national-announcement-and-looks-future-major-investment

25/03/2026

Are you a former smoker?

There is an opportunity for you to join an online workshop to better understand the barriers people face when attending lung‑screening appointments and we want your voice to help shape improvements.

Your experiences will help co‑design clearer, more supportive screening invitations for our communities. Participants will receive a £50 All4One voucher for taking part.

🗓 Tuesday 9 April
⏰ 17:30–19:30

👉 Sign up here: https://tinyurl.com/lung-screening1

The most powerful, simple and trusted way to gather experience data. Start your journey to experience management and try a free account today.

25/03/2026

Earlier today, the Department of Health announced that North Cumbria Integrated Care is to be one of five Trusts placed into a new recovery programme.

Trudie Davies, Chief Executive, explains how we are welcoming this intensive support as ‘once in lifetime opportunity’.

It comes as a new £4 million investment to transform the way urgent and emergency care is provided for patients in north Cumbria.

Find out more on our website: ncic.nhs.uk/news/chief-executive-welcomes-intensive-support-once-lifetime-opportunity

24/03/2026

Last week, our NCIC breast team teamed up with youth breast cancer charity CoppaFeel! to bring an important message to young people across Carlisle and Whitehaven: checking your chest could save your life!

Many young people told us they’d never been shown how to check themselves properly, something our clinicians hear all too often. As Charlotte Irving from our breast team said:
“Nobody ever taught me how to check my breasts or what the signs of breast cancer might be. That’s exactly why these sessions matter"

💗 Students in Years 11–13 explored CoppaFeel!’s interactive mobile unit
💗 They learned how to check their chests with confidence
💗 They discovered the early signs of breast cancer
💗 And they left knowing how to make chest‑checking part of their monthly routine

Huge thanks to the schools and colleges who welcomed us:
The Whitehaven Academy, St Benedict's Catholic High School, The Nelson Thomlinson School, Carlisle College, Trinity School - A Church of England Academy, and Lakes College.

Together, we’re empowering young people with knowledge that lasts a lifetime. 💪💖

23/03/2026

We are aware that Norovirus is circulating - to stop the spread, please do not visit your loved ones in hospital if you have symptoms of sickness and/or diarrhoea.

Norovirus is more serious for those already in hospital who are more vulnerable. It also contributes to staff sickness.

You must wait until 48 hours after you stop showing symptoms before you visit loved ones in hospital.

Please check our website for the latest details of visiting advice across the Trust: ncic.nhs.uk/patients-visitors/information-hospital-visitors

23/03/2026

The Board of Directors next meet in public on Wednesday 25 March from 10am until 1pm in the boardroom at the Cumberland Infirmary 🏥

Members of the public are welcome to attend to see the board meeting taking place.

If you would like to attend, please email corporate.governance@ncic.nhs.uk so we can make sure appropriate arrangements are in place.

Find papers for the meeting and how you can raise a question on our website: ncic.nhs.uk/trust/how-we-are-run/board-meetings

22/03/2026

NCIC welcomed three students for a week of hands‑on experience as part of the Dream Placement scheme during February half term.

Dream Placement, run by the Centre for Leadership Performance, connects young people aged 16 to 18 with local organisations. The programme helps students build confidence, develop leadership skills and explore future careers across Cumbria.

NCIC hosted Anastasia, Edith and Sarah, who each spent the week in departments linked to their interests and future ambitions.

Sarah spent two days in NCIC’s Education Centre, including Learning and Development and the Simulation Suite, followed by two days with Springboard Children’s Services in speech and language therapy and occupational therapy.

She shadowed therapists during patient sessions and took part in simulation training.

She said: “I enjoyed the speech and language therapy the most and found it very interesting.”

Sarah said the placement helped her develop problem‑solving and adaptability skills. It also reinforced her ambition to work with children in the future.

All three students said they would recommend an NCIC placement to others, highlighting the variety of roles, the supportive staff and the value of seeing healthcare careers up close.

Their enthusiasm and curiosity were praised by NCIC teams across the Trust.

The Dream Placement scheme, and the staff who support it, play a vital role in helping young people understand the many rewarding careers available in the NHS both on the frontline and behind the scenes.

21/03/2026

Proudly HUMAN: Standing Together Against Racial Discrimination

Today, on the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, we’re celebrating the people who make our Trust what it is — compassionate, diverse and proudly HUMAN. The 100+ faces in this image represent over 7,000 colleagues who bring kindness, skill and dedication to our community every day.

Our colleagues are human — people with families, responsibilities and lives beyond their uniforms. How they’re treated at work matters. We ask everyone to consider the impact their words and actions can have on the staff who are here to help.

We’re proud of the diversity within our Trust and the care our colleagues provide. We stand together in our belief that everyone deserves to feel safe, respected and valued at work.

Together with our community, we can make our Trust a place where people are treated with fairness, respect and understanding. Recognising the humanity in every colleague helps us create a workplace that supports better care for everyone.

20/03/2026

The Keswick Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC) be closed over the weekend (Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 March) and will open again at 8:30am on Monday 23 March.

The UTC at Penrith and A&E Departments at the Cumberland Infirmary and West Cumberland Hospital are still open as usual.

Penrith UTC is equipped to diagnose and treat many of the most common ailments. A&E have to prioritise the most serious cases first so if your condition is less serious, but cannot wait until you can see a GP, a UTC may be the best place for you. Penrith UTC is open daily from 8am until 10pm.

We have restated our commitment to the future of Keswick and Penrith Urgent Treatment Centres. The staffing gaps, arising from a combination of vacancies and long term absences in a small team, are now improving following successful recruitment and we expect to be able to provide a more stable service by May 2026. We know how valuable the service is for the community and the tourist population in the heart of the Lake District, and the Trust is committed to maintaining the service we have at both hospitals.

We will do everything we can to avoid further closures in the coming months, however it is likely there will be some disruption until new colleagues come into post.

Use our emergency care hub to keep an eye on waiting times across our departments: ncic.nhs.uk/locations/emergency-care-hub

We are grateful to everyone for their support and help 💙

20/03/2026

Tribute to Sheena Horsley

It is with great sadness that we share the news that Sheena Horsley, Clinical Educator in Theatres died suddenly last week.

Sheena has worked for the Trust for almost 40 years and has had a number of roles across theatres and critical care. She was recently working in a clinical educator role but was widely known for her time as Matron across the theatre departments at both the West Cumberland Hospital and the Cumberland Infirmary. During her vast career, Sheena was appointed to senior roles supporting the Elective Care Suite, Critical Care Outreach, Intensive Care and as a critical care educator.

Stacey Eland (Elective Surgical Hub Matron) on behalf of the theatre teams said, “Sheena was a valuable source of support for many people, not just within theatres but from all areas within the trust due to her wealth of knowledge and experience. She believed in an open door policy where her kindness, compassion and honesty left a lasting impression on everyone that had the privilege of meeting her. Sheena was always there to listen without judgement, provided guidance and reassurance to all and even became our very own personal skin care guru!

“Sheena was so incredibly proud of her family and frequently talked about her love for them alongside her pride in their achievements and triumphs. Our thoughts are particularly with them at this difficult time, we are all thinking of them. Sheena will be remembered not only for her professionalism and the support she gave others, but for who she was as a person. Sheena will leave a huge hole in theatres and across the wider NCIC family but her impact, her values and the positive influence she had on people will stay with us forever.”

Trudie Davies, Chief Executive said, “Sheena was a long serving member of staff and it’s clear that she touched the lives of so many throughout her long and varied career as a nurse. We are honoured that she has worked at NCIC and cared for so many patients in Cumbria. Everyone is devastated by her loss and on behalf of the organisation I want to express our deepest sympathies to Sheena’s family including her daughter Laura, her partner Steve - who also works for the Trust, her wider family, friends and colleagues at this very difficult time.”

Her funeral service will take place at Distington Hall Crematorium on Monday 30th March 2026 at 12pm for those that would like to pay their respects. Attendees are requested to wear colour- particularly sage green if possible.

Thank you for your service Sheena 💚

20/03/2026

We wish all our Muslim colleagues and communities a blessed Eid Mubarak and we hope that you enjoy celebrating with your family and friends after your month of fasting, prayer and reflection.
Wishing everyone a blessed, happy and peaceful Eid Al-Fitr.

19/03/2026

Meningitis can be very serious if not treated quickly.

Katie Raine, Lead Nurse for Children and Young People at NCIC, said:

“Meningococcal disease (meningitis and septicaemia) is an uncommon but serious disease caused by meningococcal bacteria. Very occasionally, the meningococcal bacteria can cause serious illness, (inflammation of the lining of the brain) and septicaemia (blood poisoning), which can rapidly lead to sepsis. The onset of illness is often sudden and early diagnosis and treatment with antibiotics are vital.”

Early symptoms, which may not always be present, include:

• a rash that doesn’t fade when pressed with a glass
• sudden onset of high fever
• severe and worsening headache
• stiff neck
• vomiting and diarrhoea
• joint and muscle pain
• dislike of bright lights
• very cold hands and feet
• seizures
• confusion/delirium
• extreme sleepiness/difficulty waking

Anyone who becomes unwell with symptoms of meningitis and septicaemia should seek medical help urgently at the closest A&E or by dialling 999.

💉 The MenACWY vaccination gives good protection against MenA, MenC, MenW, and MenY and is routinely offered to teenagers in school Years 9 and 10. In September 2015, a vaccine against meningococcal B disease (MenB) was added to the childhood immunisation programme as part of the routine schedule in England. This vaccine is now offered at 8 and 12 weeks with a booster at 1st birthday.

You can view your child's vaccination schedule and history through the NHS App, their Personal Child Health Record ("red book"), or by requesting records from your GP surgery.

Follow UK Health Security Agency on Facebook for the latest information about the outbreak in Kent.

Find out more on the NHS website https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/meningitis/