Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS: report on A&E shake-up due at end of August

People were asked their views on plans to centralise A&E care at an expanded Calderdale Royal Infirmary.

Up to 300 beds would be added to the hosptial in Halifax as part of the changes by Calderdale and Greater Huddersfield Clinical Commissiong Groups (CCGs), which control the local NHS budget.

The proposals would see Huddersfield’s 400-bed infirmary knocked down and replacd with a 120-bed hospital designed for planned NHS treatmnts.

The plans, designed to tackle a £280m funding gap, have led to safety fears over longer journey times to hospital and a campaign to keep both A&Es open.

But NHS bosses say it is safer to take emergencies to a single A&E with consultants on duty 24 hours a day and quicker access to x-rays and scans.

And they believe it could be the only way to make services affordable.

The CCGs said the results of their 14-week consultation would be published at the end of August.

They are expected to decide whether to proceed with the proposals in October.

The CCGs said in a statement: “Once the decision is known, we will publish the outcome and provide as much information as possible about next steps.”