MEDICAL professionals and health campaigners may have welcomed the chance to share their achievements, but an MP has described a health minister’s visit as “an insult”.

Jamie Reed, who represents Copeland in parliament has reported David Mowat MP to the speaker of the House of Commons. The under secretary of state for the Department of Health travelled to Millom yesterday but snubbed West Cumberland Hospital and failed to tell Mr Reed he would be in the area.

The Copeland MP, who has asked for a government minister to visit the hospital on several occasions, called it a “breach of parliamentary protocol”. He has consistently fought to raise support for West Cumberland and has encouraged people to Sign up to save hospital services

Mr Reed said: “David Mowat has demonstrated a shocking disregard for our community.

“Here in West Cumbria, patients, NHS staff, families and campaigners are united in our determination to build a local health service equipped to overcome the unique challenges that we face. However, we have been consistently let down by Government ministers who have so far refused to visit the hospital and intervene to ensure the retention of vital 24-hour consultant-led services.

“Despite travelling to Copeland yesterday, Mr Mowat chose not to visit the West Cumberland Hospital. That is an insult to our community.”

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