PLANS to get rid of St Luke’s Hospital are going ahead – but slowly.

Health officials have confirmed they still want to dispose of the sprawling Crosland Moor site, which has been a hospital for more than a century.

But there are still many services using the site and there is no firm date for them to move out.

There had been concerns that the plans may have been shelved but health trust officials have insisted this is not the case.

A spokeswoman for the Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust said: “The services that currently remain at St Luke’s Hospital are all outpatient services – Barton rehabilitation unit, renal dialysis, neurology outpatients, physiotherapy for Crosland Moor residents, wheelchair services and transport services.

“The dates when they will move are yet to be finalised by the Trust.”

Other services at St Luke’s have been run by the South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.

The Trust provides specialist mental health and learning disability services for people across Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield.

A spokesman said: “Low-secure services, which were previously provided at the Castle Hill Unit at St Luke's, relocated to a purpose built facility (The Bretton Centre) in Wakefield last summer.

“A specialist Trust-wide pharmacy has also opened in Wakefield, which has seen the pharmacy team move their base away from St Luke's, although they continue to work closely with inpatient services and community staff across Kirklees.

“Newhaven, a Trust-wide specialist low-secure service for adults with learning disabilities, is set to move from the St Luke's site later this year, to new and approved accommodation on the Fieldhead site in Wakefield. All these moves are in line with the outcome of public consultation.

“Work is continuing to plan the moves for services currently located at St Luke’s, which include an inpatient ward for adults with mental health problems and also an older peoples' ward.

“The Trust is committed to continuing work with our partners, particularly Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust, to ensure the best use of NHS estate and that future developments continue to make improvements for local people who need to use our specialist services”.

GP-led primary care trust, NHS Kirklees, is expected to vacate its offices at St Luke’s House early next year.

The organisation – which commissions GPs, pharmacists and other local health services – will move to a new £6.5m base at Bradley Business Park in February 2010. The trust has signed a 10-year lease for the 47,000sq ft offices, over four floors, housing 300 staff.