PROTESTERS lashed out today after the go-ahead for many hospital services to be moved from Huddersfield.
Just the future of maternity services will come under the spotlight in a review ordered by health minister Patricia Hewitt.
Her decision to allow other services to be moved to Calderdale Royal Hospital in Halifax was branded a slap in the face today.
Leading protester Barbara Farrand said: "It's diabolical. There are going to be a lot of angry and disappointed people."
She accused MPs of letting objectors down by concentrating on maternity services.
Planned surgery, gynaecology and children's services will all go to Halifax.
Mrs Farrand, 66, of Oakes, a founding member of the Save Huddersfield's NHS campaign, personally collected 6,500 petition signatures against changes proposed by health bosses.
She said: "I would say that many of those who signed were from the older generation, not the younger ones.
"The health minister's decision is a slap in the face for the elderly and will be viewed as such."
Committee members of Save Huddersfield's NHS are meeting next week to plot their next moves.
A decision on whether or not to move maternity services will be made in the autumn after the independent review ordered by Mrs Hewitt.
Mrs Farrand said: "People are not going to like it one bit that she has decided to review the maternity services decision and nothing else.
"It's diabolical. It's not what we were fighting for."
Kirklees Council's leader today said it was a "disgrace" that the health minister had taken so long to order the review.
Tory councillor Robert Light said: "It's staggering that it has taken from March until June for her to decide to do something.
"Why she could not have announced it straight away, I don't know."
