Campaigners fighting to stop a plan which could close Huddersfield’s A&E department are to hand the result of a ballot to councillors capable of delaying the controversial proposal.

Almost 99% of people, who took part in the #HandsOffHRI ballot, voted against local NHS chiefs’ plan to close the A&E at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary and centralise emergency care at Calderdale Royal Hospital, Halifax.

And of the 1,290 people, who took part in the online and paper ballot, just 14 (1.1%) voted in favour of the Right Care Right Time Right Place proposal.

The result of the ballot will be handed to councillors on the Kirklees and Calderdale joint health scrutiny panel on Thursday (July 7).

A public consultation on Right Care Right Time Right Place ended on June 24.

But the panel is still accepting the views of residents and is running two drop-in sessions at Huddersfield Town Hall, on July 7, and at Halifax Town Hall, on July 12.

The panel may pass the proposal as soon as October 20 – or if they are unsatisfied with it, they may refer the plan to the Health Secretary.

Mike Forster, of #HandsOffHRI, said: “The ballot, run by #HandsOffHRI, concluded last week.

“Just over five stalls were organised throughout the area. One thousand two hundred and ninety people took part and only 14 voted in favour of the CCG proposal.

“This is yet further evidence of public opinion in the town. This further demonstrates the lack of support for moving our A&E and downgrading the hospital.

Huddersfield Examiner Battle Bus at St Georges Square in March. Mike Forster addresses the crowd.
Huddersfield Examiner Battle Bus at St Georges Square in March. Mike Forster addresses the crowd.

“We will be submitting the outcome of the ballot to the joint health scrutiny panel. Along with other evidence we have submitted and they have collated, we will be calling on scrutiny to reject the plan and repeating our call for the resignation of Greater Huddersfield Clinical Commissioning Group clinical chief Dr Steve Ollerton who has demonstrably failed the people of Kirklees and Calderdale.”

Under the proposals HRI would be demolished and replaced with a smaller hospital on the adjacent Acre Mills site. It will have an urgent care centre but, crucially, no emergency care unit.

Emergency care will be centralised at an expanded Calderdale Royal Hospital.