KIRKLEES Council leader Mehboob Khan has pledged to fight plans to reduce A&E services at Dewsbury District Hospital as health chiefs yesterday approved a full consultation.
The Mid Yorkshire NHS Trust has proposed to centralise consultant-led emergency services at Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield – meaning A&E at Dewsbury and Pontefract hospitals will be reduced to minor injuries.
And yesterday the cluster board of The NHS Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield District agreed it was ‘full steam ahead’ as they move the proposal to the next stage with health bosses now preparing a full business case.
They will also conduct a full public consultation in March to allow people to share their views on the proposals.
But Clr Khan said: “We will fight for the retention of services at Dewsbury District Hospital and we call on the local MP, Simon Reevell, to join our campaign. We aren’t afraid to take our fight all the way to Mr Cameron himself.”
He said the plan to remove services comes at a ‘critical time’ including a high infant mortality rate.
Board chief executive Mike Potts, said: “The changes which the trust have proposed are very significant and there have been many months of research, analysis and discussion about whether they will provide local people with the best health outcomes.
“Our board has now accepted that the option put forward by the trust would indeed secure high quality care into the future.”
Full details on the preferred option can be seen at www.meetingthechallenge.co.uk
