Key Events
That's all from us
That’s all from our liveblog today — we hope you’ve found it informative.
If you want to read more about today’s shock news surrounding Huddersfield Royal Infimary, scroll back through the liveblog below.
Alternatively, you will find more news on our Huddersfield Royal Infirmary page.
Still got questions?
We’ve answered your questions about Huddersfield Royal Infirmary and the future of A&E in Huddersfield — and you can also go back to when it all began with our timeline.
Public consultation?
Our health reporter Dave Himelfield says the plan will NOT be revealed to the public on Jan 20.
Health chiefs will decide if the plan is ready to go to public consultation.
Health chiefs: 'Centralising services can save lives'
“For patients with more serious or life threatening conditions, it is much safer for them to be treated by clinical teams that specialise in emergency care, with the right equipment and facilities to support them. Additionally, there is a wealth of evidence that centralising some services can save lives: lives have already been saved as a result of centralising stroke and major trauma services on a West Yorkshire basis.”
Health chiefs: 'Without the changes... are hospitals are simply not sustainable'
“And to those who may argue that the sacrifice is too great we say that without the changes we are proposing our hospitals are simply not sustainable; standards of care will fall, our hospitals will become unsafe, we will not be able to recruit and retain the specialist expertise that we need and we will see the gradual move away of services from Calderdale and Huddersfield to other sites in Yorkshire, resulting in patients having to travel even further in order to get the care they need.”
From the health chiefs' report:
“The way in which hospital services in Calderdale and Greater Huddersfield are provided simply isn’t sustainable. Simply going forward and accepting the status quo will not enable us to deliver the quality of care that local residents deserve, nor will it provide either of our hospitals with the financial sustainability required to deliver that care. To do this things have to change and change for the better.”
The document has landed
The 270-page document from health chiefs detailing the plans has gone live — our health reporter Dave Himelfield is combing through it.
Stay tuned for interesting snippets...
Huddersfield reacts
Here’s what you’ve been saying on Facebook about the proposed demolition:
“Surely common sense dictates with Huddersfield having approx 162,949 population and Halifax approx 90.000 population, The better hospital should be Huddersfield WITH an A&E department.” - Jennifer Hill
“And how much have they spent in recent years on refurbishment???? How can they be so flippant with people’s health and care?????” — Amy Woodward
“So why can’t the MILLIONS of pounds it will cost to build a new building just be used to continue to fund our A&E department?... I’d rather have all the services in an old building than half the services in a new!!” — Lauren Crossley
“Oh my word didn’t see that one coming, I’m back in shock!! “ — Karen Pickup
RECAP: The story so far
- This morning MP Barry Sheerman revealed that Huddersfield Royal Infirmary looks set to lose its A & E department
- Documents revealed to Mr Sheerman show that the favoured option is to shut down the Royal Infirmary unit and move everything to Calderdale.
- MP Jason McCartney said he was ‘appalled’ by the news and ‘the battle starts here’.
- People in Huddersfield called the potential closure ‘utter madness’, ‘a joke’ and ‘outrageous’.
HRI Poll at 15-01-16 14:17 - Both MPs began petitions to save HRI’s A&E department
- It has just been revealed that the A&E closure at HRI is part of a much bigger plan which would involve the demolition of HRI and the building of a new hospital across the road.
- The Examiner understands that an ambitious plan will see the existing infirmary demolished and a new unit built on the Acre Mills site.
- Details are included in a 270-page document being released today by health chiefs.
We’ll bring you more as we get it.
New hospital site
Here’s the Acre Mills site, where the new hospital could be built:
And from above:
BREAKING NEWS: HRI to be demolished?
We’ve just heard that the A&E closure at HRI is part of a much bigger plan which would involve the demolition of HRI and the building of a new hospital across the road.
The Examiner understands that an ambitious plan will see the existing infirmary demolished and a new unit built on the Acre Mills site.
That new unit will be for ‘planned care’ and will include 10 operating theatres.
Details are included in a 270-page document being released today by health chiefs.
The Examiner understands it’s all down to hospital finance.
Is this a final decision?
Health reporter Dave Himelfield: “No. Health bosses will decide on Wednesday if they are ready to start a public consultation on the proposed changes. The plan will later go to public consultation although some health campaigners may feel it will be little more than a formality. Councillors if they are unhappy with proposal, can refer it to the Independent Review Panel (IRP) who will then make a recommendation to the Health Secretary.
“Plans to downgrade Dewsbury District Hospital and concentrate emergency services at Wakefield Pinderfields Hospital were referred to the IRP by Kirklees and Wakefield councillors in 2014. Their appeal was, however, unsuccessful.”
What services will be at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary if the plan goes ahead?
Health reporter Dave Himelfield: “HRI will host inpatient services for example, endoscopy, and planned surgery. Like I said, there will be a minor injuries unit.”
If the plan goes ahead will all ‘accident and emergency’ services close at HRI?
Health reporter Dave Himelfield: “No. HRI will still have a minor injuries unit as well as resuscitation and first aid facilities.”
If there’s a better A&E department in Halifax, what’s the problem?
Health reporter Dave Himelfield: “Distance, mainly. For example, it’s 18 minutes by car from Meltham, near Holmfirth, to HRI. That’s if the traffic is clear. But it’s 27 minutes to Calderdale Royal Infirmary. In heavy traffic that could be considerable longer, particularly on the Calderdale Way which notoriously snarls up about one mile south of CRH.”
Who decides which A&E department will close?
Health reporter David Himelfield: “Chiefs at the two authorities, which manage NHS services in Huddersfield and Halifax, respectively Greater Huddersfield Clinical Commission Group (CCG) and Calderdale CCG decide. They will receive guidelines and ultimately, the go-ahead from their bosses at NHS England. “Other health providers, including the hospital trust as well as Kirklees and Calderdale councils, have been consulted.”
