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Covid infections are still providing major challenges for Calderdale’s health and care services as they go into winter, a meeting heard.

Across West Yorkshire health trusts, including Calderdale and Huddersfield, beds were filling up and there were increased numbers of people being admitted to hospital with Covid, health partners heard.

They are encouraging everyone who has received their letter informing them they can get their flu and Covid booster vaccines to book themselves in and take up the offer.

There may also be the possibility of accessing extra beds for patients who might be waiting to be discharged back to care homes but have recently tested positive for Covid.

Dr Majid Azeb gives a booster jab to Bruce Fitzgerald, at the Covid vaccine and booster jab session, Spring Hall Practice Group, Halifax

But a return to being able to use hotel space for this “half way house” purpose is likely to be dependant on availability of funding, Calderdale Health and Wellbeing Board members heard.

Neil Smurthwaite, Chief Operating Officer of NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board which is part of the Calderdale Cares partnership, said partners had done their planning for winter.

NHS England now required partners to set up co-ordination centres which would be able to look at live data around hospital activity.

“One of the key actions is ensuring that we are maximising our winter flu and Covid vaccination processes.

“it’s a plea for people who have had their invites to get booked in,” he said.

Councillor Colin Hutchinson (Lab, Skircoat) asked if a half way house system, which had utilised hotels, would be put in place for patients who could otherwise be discharged from hospital, freeing up bed space, to their care homes but had recently tested positive for Covid, as in previous waves.

Mr Smurthwaite said in earlier eaves this had come from national Covid funding pots and it could depend on whether funding was available – he could not confirm it was being looked into at this point.

Nursing officer Penny Woodhead said she could offer some assurance – in previous waves a Calderdale-Kirklees-Wakefield partnership had made beds available in Kirklees for similar purposes.

“Colleagues are exploring that again,” she said, to see if beds were needed at this point and how easy it would be to set up.

Health winter system pressures prompt flu and Covid jabs appeal to Calderdale public