The battle to save Huddersfield’s A&E unit is likely to reach Westminster.
All four Kirklees MPs have united to take up the fight to stop the full A&E service being switched to Calderdale Royal Hospital because of enormous debt pressures on hospital chiefs.
They have put aside any political differences and hope to raise the issue in the Commons with health ministers.
There is added pressure on the MPs, as health bosses have already intimated that A&E facilities at Dewsbury District Hospital could be downgraded. If that happens there could be no full emergency provision in Kirklees.
Health chiefs are meeting this afternoon to discuss proposals to shift A&E services to Calderdale, as part of a plan which would see the existing Royal Infirmary demolished and a new unit built on the Acre Mills site.
Tens of thousands of people have added their names to petitions and Facebook campaigns to stop the moves.
Their call for action meant Colne Valley’s Jason McCartney, Huddersfield’s Barry Sheerman, Dewsbury’s Paula Sherriff and Batley’s Jo Cox met to draw up a plan of action.
The Kirklees’ MPs were also joined by Halifax MP Holly Lynch and Mr McCartney stressed: “It’s not a case of pitting Huddersfield against Halifax.
“We want the best service we can for both areas. Both towns are growing, with thousands more homes planned, and there is a demand for full hospital services.
“I have applied for a debate and hopefully we can see that happen in the first week of February, when health ministers are available.
“It is clear there is enormous support through the whole Kirklees community for the services to be kept in Huddersfield, particularly as we are to lose them in Dewsbury.
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“People have rightly expressed concern at travel times if they live in the Holme Valley or Colne Valley and it is an issue. What is also of concern is that if people in some areas choose to go to hospitals in Oldham or Barnsley as an alternative, what happens to the patient numbers they have factored in for Halifax? There could well be problems there further down the line.”
Ms Sherriff said: “It was good to meet with other local MP’s to discuss how we can work on a cross-party basis to preserve A&E services at HRI.”
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Mr Sheerman also welcomed the initiative and said: “I have been heartened by the surge of support for our online petition opposing closure of A&E at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary.
“We want the best health care for both towns.”
Ministers will have to respond to a petition urging the Government to save the Infirmary’s A&E after it reached over 10,000 signatures.
The petition ‘Prevent the Closure of Huddersfield A&E Department’ had almost 13,000 signatures by Tuesday morning.
The Government must respond to any petition, lodged on the official Parliament petition website, which gets over 10,000 signatures.
You can sign the petition here.
