MORE health services could be stripped from Huddersfield, it was feared today.

The Examiner has already reported how St Luke's Hospital at Crosland Moor, which provides a range of services, including mental health, will close as part of the NHS changes in the town.

Health trusts have always maintained that in-patient services for adults with acute mental health problems will move to Huddersfield Royal Infirmary.

But workers now fear that these vital services could be shipped out to Halifax or Dewsbury.

Staff who have contacted the Examiner say this could lead to job cuts.

One mental health worker at St Luke's, who asked not to be named, said: "The services are going to Dewsbury or Halifax - and they don't want the public to know.

"If it is Dewsbury we will be merging with another ward.

"We knew it was going to close, but the plan was that we were going up to HRI and we're not now.

"If it is HRI, fine. But when you're talking about Halifax or Dewsbury you're looking at job losses.

"They say at least a third of jobs might go. That's only what staff are saying; we don't really know.

"There will be nothing for mental health at all in Huddersfield."

One of the worker's concerns is for the elderly patients, because they will have to travel a lot further to visit their loved ones.

The Examiner understands there have been several meetings between managers and staff at St Luke's.

The mental health worker added: "It all boils down to saving money because they have overspent.

"The public should be made aware because they're making these decisions before they go to the public. The public should have a say in it.

"The morale of staff is very low."

St Luke's has provided hospital services at the 23-acre Blackmoorfoot Road site for almost a century.

A spokeswoman for the South West Yorkshire Mental Health NHS Trust, which runs the mental health services, said: "We only have a mandate to move services in line with the outcome of the recent consultation with local people.

"We are, however - like most other NHS organisations - facing a very challenging financial position and can only provide those services that are funded by the local primary care trusts.

"In Huddersfield, we are looking at how we might do things differently to bring the locality back into recurrent financial balance. Much of this will involve non-clinical services.

"Staff are currently being invited to contribute ideas about cost improvements in the areas they work in.

"Lots of options are being put forward and these will require detailed and consistent evaluation to test the impact on service users and carers, other parts of the service and our partners.

"Some might be unworkable and some worth further debate."

She said the trust board would discuss all proposals in July and that great importance was put on being transparent with both staff and the public.

She added: "This means people have to deal with new and changeable information.

"We think is it very important to work in this way to give people as much influence as possible, but acknowledge that this can create uncertainty for some.

"The trust can only implement those changes that we have approval for.

"If, at any point in the future, we wanted to make other significant service change, we would need to talk formally again with local people about the reason for proposing further change and the implication for people who use services and their families."