David Cameron accused of “backtracking” on future of Calderdale’s A&E department
Halifax MP Holly Lynch called on David Cameron to meet her to discuss the future of the A&E during Prime Minister’s questions.
Ms Lynch said she wanted to clarify the future of the service following comments he made about the hospital before the general election.
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Hide AdCalderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust is expected to be £25m in deficit by the end of the year.
A reorganisation of the hospitals to make sure patients get safe treatment could see Huddersfield and Halifax served by a single A&E, along with urgent care centres treating patients with less serious conditions.
Ms Lynch said: “During the general election campaign, the Prime Minister came to my constituency and promised to keep Calderdale Royal’s A&E department open and sort out the financial mess that our hospital was in.
“Since then, the government have back-tracked on both promises, saying that these are matters for the local NHS trust and for the clinical commissioning group.
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Hide Ad“Will the Prime Minister show that he is a man of his word by meeting me to discuss ways in which he can honour his election promises?”
Mr Cameron responded by saying the government was investing £10bn in the NHS.
He said: “We certainly haven’t back tracked on what we promised.
“We said we would put more money into the NHS. Calderdale Hospital is an absolutely vital service.”
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Hide AdNHS services in Calderdale and Huddersfield face a £155m funding shortfall by 2021.
Nationally, fears have been raised that the government’s £10bn investment will fall way short of a £30bn funding gap the whole health service faces in the same period.
Ms Lynch added: “Figures released this week show the NHS is now in the grips of the worst financial crisis in a generation, and our NHS Foundation Trust here in Calderdale desperately needs government help with its crippling debts.”
A public consultation over the future of hospital services in Calderdale and Huddersfield has been delayed until next year.