A&E at Carlisle hospital 'requires improvement' after breaches to safety and cleanliness regulations

Patients at Cumbria's largest hospital "were not safe" when visiting its accident and emergency department, according to a new report.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has published its findings based on two visits to the accident & emergency department at Cumberland Infirmary in February and March 2026.

Overall, the hospital remains rated as 'requires improvement', though the safety rating for its A&E department was lowered to 'inadequate'.

The report concluded that "people were not safe and were at risk of avoidable harm" due to "unsafe systems, insufficient staffing, environmental risks and weak governance arrangements."

According to the report, inspectors found that:

• The department appeared visibly dusty and, in some areas, unclean. Resuscitation bays and temporary escalation spaces were cluttered with equipment which reduced the ability to clean these areas effectively.

• Staff did not ensure people had individualised care plans in place to support their ongoing needs.

• Leaders needed to address the significant backlogs of incidents that had not been reviewed or investigated yet.

• The service did not have a dedicated toilet, baby changing or breastfeeding facilities within the paediatric area.

• Staff did not always follow good hand hygiene practices or bare below the elbow principles.

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Source: ITV News, 4 September 2026