Huddersfield MP Barry Sheerman called for more accountability within the NHS as health chiefs confirmed a delay on talks over hospital services.

The veteran MP admitted to he was surprised by the decision of health chiefs in both Huddersfield and Calderdale to delay more public consultation over controversial hospital plans.

They plan to hold off until next year on asking for more public views on plans which could see one of the A&E units at either Huddersfield Royal Infirmary or Calderdale Royal Hospital shut down.

Officials of the Clinical Commissioning Groups in both areas say the delay will allow people more chance to see how community services are working.

But Mr Sheerman said it was another example of the “mess” in which NHS services are now in.

“As an MP, I don’t know how to find out what is happening to health services in the town, so what about ordinary patients?

“The relationship between the commissioning groups and the people who actually deliver the services via the NHS Trust are a mess.

“You used to be able to pick up the phone and talk to the chief executive of the Trust if there were concerns about health services. Now so many different agencies are involved and there is not the same accountability.

“I fear that this latest decision by the CCGs to delay talks on the proposals is another example of the problem. There are too many interests involved”.

The two CCGs say major changes are need to the health and social care system in Calderdale and Huddersfield.

There are increasing pressures on the service but they say delaying consultation on the hospital proposals will be a sensible decision.

Mr Sheerman is planning to meet with Greater Huddersfield CCG later this month and hopes to get direct answers to questions.

He said: “The patients in this area need services to be there when they need them.

”They want to know if things go wrong there is somewhere to go and someone to give them the answer.

“We have got to get clear lines of communication and accountability within the NHS at local level”.