Organisers of a public meeting about a plan which could close Huddersfield’s A&E may schedule additional meetings to cope with the huge numbers of people hoping to attend.
The meeting on the Right Care Right Time Right Place plan is scheduled take place at the John Smith’s Stadium, on April 18.
The room booked can hold 400 people – but thousands are expected to attend.
Now organisers of the meeting say they may be able to accommodate 520 people by adding extra room with live audio and video feed relaying the proceedings from the main room.
And they say additional meetings may be organised if the arrangements cannot cope with the numbers.
An estimated 8,000 took part in a huge protest rally under the banner Save A & E, held in St George’s Square on February 27.
Watch the #HandsOffHRI march
Last month, Kirklees Green Party leader, Andrew Cooper, said the stands used for Huddersfield Town and Huddersfield Giants rugby league games should be opened to allow thousands of people to attend. But the suggestion has not been taken up by meeting organisers.
Greater Huddersfield and Calderdale CCGs (clinical commissioning groups), the local NHS organisations behind the plan, said attendance at the meeting was restricted due to ‘health and safety reasons’.
A CCGs spokesperson said: “For health and safety reasons, attendance is restricted at both venues.
“However, if public demand exceeds capacity, additional public meetings with an independent chair may be arranged.
“To ensure as many people have access as possible, the meetings will be live streamed to help anyone who cannot attend the meeting hear directly what is said.”
The meeting, from 6pm to 8pm, will be streamed live so those unable to attend can watch it on their computers, tablets and smart phones.
A&E closure plan
The main presentation, by CCG and hospital chiefs, will be followed by a question and answer session.
Clinical chair of NHS Greater Huddersfield CCG, Dr Steve Ollerton, said: “It is very important that people are aware of the challenges that we face as a health community and the solutions that our senior doctors and nurses are proposing in order to address these challenges.
VIDEO: Dr Steve Ollerton answers your questions
“Our information events and public meetings are an opportunity to have a constructive dialogue with people about how we address these challenges.”
Under Right Care Right Time Right Place Huddersfield Royal Infirmary’s A&E will close while emergency care will be centralised at Calderdale Royal Infirmary, Halifax.
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Urgent care centres, which will treat non life-threatening cases, will be opened at both sites.
But Huddersfield will be left without full emergency services.
Another public meeting takes place at North Bridge Leisure Centre, Halifax, on April 14 (6pm).
