HEALTH chiefs have "shown no regard whatsoever" to Sellafield, its 10,000 plus workforce or the expected influx of new workers when planning hospital services - claims Copeland's MP.

And a union - despite meeting with hospital chiefs and the MP last week - is also not convinced and says it "has not seen a clear and transparent plan" which addresses the increase in workers if new reactors get the go-ahead.

But health bosses insisted this week that such a potential influx is taken into account when planning services.

Jamie Reed MP contacted The Whitehaven News this week after receiving a letter from the Government clarifying that sites such as Sellafield are expected to be taken into consideration when developing hospital services.

Government junior minister Ben Gummer stated: "NHS England expects that the location and requirements of significant local infrastructure sites, will be taken into account by local organisations when they are developing proposals for service change. The current development of land near Sellafield is likely to attract a number of incoming workers who will need services, including healthcare. The local NHS will have to meet this need."

Mr Reed said: "For the first time, this letter makes it clear that the Trust has to factor both issues into their assumptions about the future provision of services at the West Cumberland Hospital - these realities can no longer be ignored, this common sense recognition has been hard won and the Trust must not only accept this, but show where this will change its proposals."

And Steve Gibbons, Unite regional officer at Sellafield, added: "Unite is concerned that the North Cumbria Trust doesn't have adequate plans in place for the services required if the Moorside development gets the go-ahead. The development will see a major increase in the working population which is bound to increase the need for NHS services in West Cumbria."

But the NHS Cumbria Clinical Commissioning Group said: "The North Cumbria University Hospitals Trust already provides acute and elective care for more than 300,000 people who live here, as well as a significant number of tourists who may require emergency care. Any changes that are expected in the local community that can be anticipated – such as an influx of workers - are taken into account when planning health services. For example, as part of the maternity review we are modelling the impact of an influx of workers. There are emergency planning processes which are already in place for any major incidents or accidents – these plans are regularly reviewed.”

A Sellafield Ltd spokesman said: "As a major employer, and a supporter of the Centre of Nuclear Excellence (CONE) project, we remain keen that public service provision takes into account the needs of the nuclear industry. We are pleased that NHS England has factored our requirements in to the design of local healthcare provision and we will continue to engage with the relevant authorities as these plans are developed."