FORTH, which has three bases across Cumbria at Flimby, Cleator Moor, and Barrow, has put community first throughout its 20-year-history - and none more so than during the pandemic. At the start of the coronavirus outbreak Forth sourced more than 24,000 items of PPE for donation to West Cumberland Hospital, and local care homes after members of Unite, GMB, and Prospect unions at Sellafield raised £30,000 in a community fundraising campaign. Members of Forth’s own staff also donated and delivered more than 2,000 masks to community hospitals and nursing teams. Forth gave up its office space at its Cleator Moor base for free to charity organisation Scrub Hub North West which makes and delivers scrubs to local hospitals and volunteers’ homes.
£40 million revamp of West Cumberland Hospital given green light
Artist’s impression of £40m phase two redevelopment at West Cumberland Hospital
A £40 million plan to deliver the second phase of redevelopment of Whitehaven’s West Cumberland Hospital has been given the green light.
  North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the hospital, plans to replace around 40 per cent of the original buildings.Â
Demolition of the existing hospital buildings has already been undertaken to make way for 60 inpatient beds, encompassing elderly care, step down facilities and end of life care.
The plans also include a short stay paediatric assessment unit, assessment area and seven inpatient beds.Â