Hospital chiefs in Huddersfield, who rely heavily on EU nurses, have expressed concern about the impact of Brexit on their staffing levels.

Both Huddersfield Royal Infirmary and Calderdale Royal Hospital employ large numbers of foreign clinical staff due to a shortage of British doctors and nurses.

Calderdale and Huddersfield Foundation Trust (CHFT), which runs both hospitals, is particularly reliant on nurses from EU countries such as France and Spain.

And the trust has been stepping up efforts to recruit nurses from abroad with plans to expand its search last month.

But with Britain’s exit from the European Union on the cards, CHFT bosses have expressed concern about complications this may cause.

CHFT Chief Executive Owen Williams said he would not hesitate to add the impact of Brexit on staff to the trust’s list of potential problems.

He said: “If something needs to be escalated to the risk register you can bet your bottom drawer we will do it.”

But Mr Williams stressed the need to avoid a ‘knee jerk’ reaction.

Board member, Prof Peter Roberts, added that the trust should explore ‘opportunities’ that leaving the EU may open.

He said: “It’s going to be two or three years before any restriction on labour takes place.

“But that means we need to be spotting opportunities – knee jerk isn’t going to work.”

Local health campaigner Jenny Shepherd later tweeted: “We can’t lose these nurses. EU citizens have to keep (their) right to stay.”

Consultant anaesthetist, Pnt Laloë, who works at both HRI and Calderdale Royal, earlier told the Examiner that Brexit could accelerate the closure of Huddersfield’s A&E.

Dr Laloë, who has French and American citizenship, said: “I see the EU referendum result for what it truly is; a triumph of ignorance.

“Our services are already stressed, staffing two full emergency departments just a few miles apart is unsustainable.

“The Brexit vote might just have accelerated events.”