An arms-length group should decide the future of hospital provision, a top councillor has said.

Clr Tim Swift, Calderdale leader, is calling for current proposals for Huddersfield and Calderdale NHS Trust to be withdrawn.

And he wants a new commission to collate evidence and views - not those inside or linked to the hospital trust or clinical commissioning groups.

Calderdale has called an Extraordinary Council Meeting for Wednesday, April 16 at Halifax Town Hall at 6pm to allow all councillors to have their say.

Clr Swift’s Labour Party has submitted a motion that, if backed, could see the council formally ask the Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Trust to withdraw their proposals.

Health bosses are proposing five options which are: no change; HRI loses its A&E or CRH loses its A&E mitigated by increased specialist care at Holme Valley Memorial Hospital and at Todmorden; downgrading both A&Es and relying on a major unit further afield; or something else.

It could cost £150m to transform the hospital estate and lead to the loss of 100 beds if the preferred option of hospital bosses - for Calderdale to lose its A&E - is backed.

Clr Swift said: “I understand the enormous pressures faced by the three provider organisations, and particularly by the hospital trust.

“They clearly feel that, trapped between rising demand, a shortage of vital trained staff in some areas, and inadequate funding, they have to propose radical changes.

“But in our view the current proposals leave too many unanswered questions; they ask local people to take a leap of faith to accept that adequate community services will be put in place to replace the hospital services that are lost; and at a time of great uncertainty about the future shape of health services, they would require a commitment to a massive programme of capital investment particularly in the Huddersfield site.

“Right now, the public debate has been dominated by the future provision of A&E.

“In this area and in many others, most people simply cannot understand why the answer to rising demand is apparently to significantly reduce capacity.”

Labour’s resolution calls for a new approach to consulting local people and professionals about the future of health and care.

They want an arms-length commission to take evidence and listen to public views about the way forward for health and care.

Clr Swift said: “Ideally this would include representatives of both Kirklees and Calderdale councils and both CCGs together with independent experts.

“Their role would include taking evidence from local organisations including the hospital Trust and the Ambulance Service; considering relevant research; and commissioning local consultation and debate.

“As long as the current proposals remain on the table, too many people will believe that the changes are a ‘done deal’ and by cynical about any engagement or consultation exercise.

“We believe the path we are outlining provides a better way which will lead to the development of further options for the shape of future services.”

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