Halifax and Huddersfield hospitals £196.5m reconfiguration final approval ‘in spring’
Final approval for major £196.5m hospital reconfiguration work in Calderdale and Kirklees is expected this spring.
That means the project as a whole is on track to be completed by 2029, health chiefs told health scrutiny councillors from both boroughs.
To secure the national funding paying for the scheme – many elements having already been completed or under way at Calderdale Royal Infirmary and Huddersfield Royal Hospital – the full business case (FBC) must be submitted to NHS England and the Department of Health.
Councillors heard from Calderdale and Kirklees NHS Foundation Trust deputy chief executive Anna Basford that the FBC has now been submitted.
The trust has been in “continuous dialogue” with NHS England and the Department of Health.
“Although there is no nationally-defined timescale for that approval process, we are hopeful for a timely approval in the spring of the business case,” she said.
This will allow the trust to start constructing new clinical buildings at Calderdale Royal later this summer and full completion of the programme by 2029, said Ms Basford.
Changes will ultimately see provision of acute and emergency, paediatric and critical care services at Calderdale Royal Hospital in Halifax while elective care will be concentrated at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary.
The councillors unanimously gave their backing to the full business case for the work after asking questions of senior health service officers who had presented more details about the full business case.
Ms Basford said completing reconfiguration – a long process that began ten years ago – would enable the trust to mitigate some “significant risks” to care, including inability to meet some national clinical standards because of the current two-site model.
Consultant – and clinical lead for reconfiguration at the trust – Dr Mark Davies said the primary driver for the change was the quality and safety of patient care.
All unplanned patient care would be at one site, elective care at the other, though both retain A&E services.
Dr Davies said the existing split site system meant team members from specialities were divided between Huddersfield and Halifax, after reconfiguration they would be able to call on concentrated expertise and there would be enhanced use of digital technologies.
Although there would be more beds at Calderdale, the overall bed numbers would remain the same as now, members heard.