How we got here. What happens next.
The campaign to keep open Grisedale Croft is the latest moment in an eighteen-year story. Filter by campaign or change the order below.
Director's decision
The Director of Adult Social Care will take the formal decision on Grisedale Croft's future.
Consultation closes
The twelve-week consultation period ends.
Eden PCN Upper Eden roadshow
Channel into the NHS Neighbourhood Health Plan for 2027–28. The Parish Council intends to attend and contribute.
Statutory FOI deadline
Statutory deadline for Westmorland and Furness Council to respond to the bundled freedom-of-information request.
Consultation opens
Westmorland and Furness Council opens its twelve-week public consultation on the future of Grisedale Croft.
Public statement issued
The Parish Council issues a public statement confirming the resolutions and naming the Working Group's remit.
Parish Council emergency meeting
Alston Moor Parish Council convenes and unanimously passes fourteen resolutions opposing closure, ratifying the freedom-of-information programme, and establishing a working group.
Letter to the Cabinet member
The Parish Council writes to the Cabinet member for Adult Care, asking the Council to pause the consultation pending a joint review with NHS partners. Further FOIs go to NHS bodies including the Integrated Care Board, the local NHS Trust, and the Care Quality Commission.
Freedom-of-information requests submitted
The Parish Council submits five linked freedom-of-information requests to Westmorland and Furness Council.
Press coverage begins
Local press cover the Cabinet decision.
Cabinet votes to consult on closure
Westmorland and Furness Council's Cabinet, meeting in closed session, resolves to launch a twelve-week consultation on the future of Grisedale Croft.
Annual Plan acknowledges rurality
Westmorland and Furness Council finalises its Annual Plan for 2026/27. The plan commits to supporting people in the place they call home, commits to co-producing an Adult Social Care Strategy, and acknowledges that government funding changes have removed rurality and remoteness adjustments.
Westmorland and Furness Council takes over
Cumbria County Council is abolished. Westmorland and Furness Council and Cumberland Council become successor authorities. Grisedale Croft transfers to Westmorland and Furness Council.
Disappointment recorded by scrutiny
Cumbria County Council's Health Scrutiny Committee formally records its disappointment at the lack of progress on the 2017–2018 commitments.
Pandemic-era CQC visit
A Care Quality Commission visit to Grisedale Croft, conducted as part of a pandemic-era thematic review on infection prevention and control. The 2018 'Good' rating is carried forward.
'Most progress in Alston'
North Cumbria Clinical Commissioning Group publicly states that Alston has seen the most progress on enhanced community services.
Grisedale Croft rated Good
The Care Quality Commission's last full inspection of the home rates it Good in every domain. The inspection record notes the home will provide health beds as part of the Alston Plan.
The Alston Alliance Plan
The bargain is formalised in a written plan: enhanced community nursing, residential step-down at Grisedale Croft, day services, rapid response, retention of the hospital site.
The NHS commitment
Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust formally commits to use residential beds at Grisedale Croft as intermediate health beds — in exchange for the closure of in-patient beds at the cottage hospital.
Legal challenge by the community
Alston Moor League of Friends and the Parish Council, working with the community and represented by public-law solicitors, challenge the closure through lawful, formal channels. The challenge is resolved before reaching court on the basis of NHS commitments about alternative provision.
Cottage hospital beds close
In-patient beds at the Ruth Lancaster James Cottage Hospital close 'temporarily', citing a 59% staff vacancy rate. Beds transfer to Brampton. They never reopen.
Bed closures approved by the CCG
The Clinical Commissioning Group's Governing Body approves bed closures at Alston, Wigton and Maryport.
Sustaining health and care services in Alston
A multi-author proposal to the NHS Success Regime, with the Parish Council named as co-author. An appendix from Cumbria Constabulary corroborates Alston Moor's winter isolation.
MP endorses the Alston blueprint
The then MP for Penrith and the Border publicly endorses the League of Friends's blueprint document as exemplary for community hospitals.
Final response to the Success Regime
A formal joint submission from the Alston Medical Practice and the League of Friends to the NHS Success Regime, setting out an integrated care model for Alston Moor.
Alston Partnership Proposal
An earliest-known draft of a community-originated integrated care model. Grisedale Croft step-down beds are already designated as a component; digital health monitoring is already operational at the home. Structurally identical to what the NHS now calls a Neighbourhood Health Centre.
Alston Health Care Plan
The plan for both health care premises was formalised and accepted
Residents accept change, not removal
Shaping Our Lives publishes the independent consultation report commissioned by Cumbria County Council. Residents say they accept change, but not removal from Alston.
The replacement that wasn't built
Cumbria County Council formally commits to replace Grisedale Croft and five other Cumbria Care homes with new dual-registered facilities by 2013, in partnership with Cumbria PCT. The replacement is never built.
Inspection finds the home 'warm and homely'
A CSCI inspection visits Grisedale Croft on 7 November 2006. The home is found warm and homely, with no resident dissatisfaction. The building is noted as small but adequate.