THE new building at West Cumberland Hospital is set to open later than planned. 

North Cumbria Integrated Care has thanked the community for their 'patience and ongoing support' for Phase 2 of the West Cumberland Hospital redevelopment. 

In a post on social media, NCIC wrote: "The new building at WCH will now open later than originally planned. The £40 million project has been successfully completed on time, within budget, and with outstanding building quality.

"However, the company appointed to provide the necessary building control certificate has experienced administrative delays. This certificate is required before we can move into the new state-of-the-art facilities."

Preparations are already in place for the Trust's teams to move into the new part of the hospital. 

NCIC has said that the delay will not disrupt patients, as services will continue to be delivered from their existing facilities on the hospital site.

NCIC added: "We had planned to begin moving patients into the new wards from next week. However, while we await the final certification, we remain focused on making sure there is a smooth and safe transition for patients and staff.

"While we are all naturally eager to move into the new facility, we are committed to following all necessary protocols to maintain patient and staff safety.

"The new building is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our teams, and we are excited about the benefits it will bring which we have been and will continue to, share on our socials."