Mums-to-be from Huddersfield may have to travel to Halifax to receive care during the early weeks of pregnancy.
Hospital chiefs have revealed they hoped to re-locate the Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit from Huddersfield Royal Infirmary (HRI) to Calderdale Royal Hospital (CRH).
The move to Halifax comes seven years after maternity services were controversially switched from HRI to Calderdale and amid a wider ambition to shake-up all hospital services over the coming months and years.
In a report to Kirklees councillors, hospital officials admit the current early pregnancy facilities break health guidelines for treating vulnerable mums, who may have suffered failed pregnancies or miscarriages.
Parents who have just received bad news are also often forced to wait in the same place as mums with healthy pregnancies.
A public consultation will be held if councillors deem the move to be a “substantial” change.
Emergency gynaecology clinics for Huddersfield patients could also move over the M62 to CRH’s purpose built Gynaecology Assessment Unit (GAU) which opened in November 2011.
Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust says its nurses are frequently needed in two places at once and patients are often forced to travel between the towns anyway for further treatment.
A report by assistant director of strategic planning, Catherine Riley, says consolidating facilities will allow access to appointments seven days a week, compared with just Monday to Friday at the current Cedarwood Unit at HRI, and swifter treatment after assessment.
Hospital officials have also revealed some delays in relocating services from the soon-to-be mothballed Princess Royal Community Health Centre.
Due to its age and condition and the £10m cost of refurbishment, the centre at Greenhead Road, Huddersfield, was set to close towards the end of this year.
But documents published this week reveal it is more likely to be well into 2016 before the hospital trust can fully vacate the premises.
Officials are looking for a new location for some services in Huddersfield town centre but the latest papers reveal they are waiting for the results of various ‘out-sourcing opportunities’ before committing to leasing or buying any buildings.
It is thought the trust and the council are in discussions about using part of Civic Centre 3.
Services that need to be found new sites include: podiatry, “looked after children”, community paediatrics, community audiology and facilities for the director of psychology.
Child Development Services are set to move from the Princess Royal to a yet-to-be built extension at Calderdale Royal Hospital in July 2016.
