Local MPs are divided over the future of A&E in Huddersfield and Calderdale.

Future options have been revealed and hospital bosses favour one in which Calderdale Royal Hospital’s unit in Halifax is closed and services switched to Huddersfield Royal Infirmary.

Another option could see both units downgraded with patients having to travel to a regional centre.

No decision will be made until after a consultation in the summer.

Huddersfield Labour MP Barry Sheerman said: “I want to know what the inspiration is behind this, when a CCG comes out and says it will save £50m is that the main reason?

“If this is about improving the services for constituents then lets look at seriously at all options.

“When I first heard about this I drove from Almondbury to Calderdale Royal Hospital at 11am on a Saturday and it was bloody awful. Anyone who tells you it can be done in 15 minutes is doing their sums on blue flashing lights.

“What I don’t want is a ghastly scenario where we lose both Huddersfield and Halifax A&E and it goes to a bigger centre in Leeds to Bradford, that would be disgraceful.”

Asked if the professional view supported a regional centre, the MP said: “There is no logic behind it. The balance needs to be found between clinical groups, good managers and what patients want.”

Asked if he had heard of changes to maternity, he described rumours and added: “I’ve heard people arguing a full maternity service should come back to Huddersfield, but if there’s a ‘hallelujah we’re bringing maternity back but the bad news is A&E is going’ then I can’t accept that.”

Calder Valley Conservative MP Craig Whittaker said debate was needed about social care and access to GPs as well as A&E: “I want to discuss all five topics and understand what each means. Being totally honest, I would like to be incredibly controversial and have a look at option four the Keogh recommendation, because what we are talking about is the long term sustainability of the NHS locally.

“I did a shift in Calderdale A&E on a Friday recently and it became very clear to me that what the professionals are saying is accurate and that is 40-50% of people using A&E do not need to use A&E.

“One woman waiting one hour 45 minutes was screaming at doctors because her son had earache. They shouldn't be there in the first place, Asprin or advice from a pharmacy would suffice, although we don’t have an ethos in this country of going to a pharmacy for advice.

“What people don’t see is that if you break a leg in Halifax town centre on a Friday night, you get taken to CRH but then sent to see a consultant in Huddersfield for an operation, so already acute services are split across hospitals.

“Let’s have a discussion about all five of the topics and have a serious grown up debate about the future of health needs and what it should look like.

“It’s clear from speaking to doctors and nurses and the CCGs that the current situation is unsuitable. If they are telling me that, who am I as a politician to say they’re wrong?”

Colne Valley Conservative MP Jason McCartney said: “My view is consistent, I don’t want to see a downgrade of either site.

“It’s similar to the children’s heart surgery unit and maternity services, consultants want fewer more specialised centres. I want good quality services on the doorstep.

“I want my constituents to have the same quality of care they do now, and I want people living in Halifax to have the same as my constituents. I can’t support something that will affect that.”

Halifax Labour MP Linda Riordan said: “This is about saving money than saving lives. I am going to fight to save that A&E in Halifax.

“Let’s look also at Dewsbury too, from what I believe that A&E is going to close, the scenario is that the whole of Kirklees would be without an A&E, is that going to happen?”