MPS AND ACTIVISTS CONDEMN HOSPITAL SHAKE-UP
THE plan to leave Huddersfield with a tiny 64-bed hospital should be thrown out, an MP has said.
Colne Valley MP Thelma Walker has said she is “appalled” at the revelations that the cuts to Huddersfield Royal Infirmary will be even bigger than first thought.
The recently elected Labour MP has called for them to be scrapped.
And she has criticised NHS chiefs for putting money ahead of patient safety.
Meanwhile, Huddersfield MP Barry Sheerman has accused health chiefs of effectively closing the whole hospital.
On Thursday, it was revealed that hospital bosses had scaled back their plans for the small “planned care” hospital at Acre Mills in Lindley, from 120 beds to just 64.
Huddersfield Royal Infirmary, which has more than 400 beds, is earmarked for demolition under the plan to shift the vast majority of in-patient care and emergency care to Halifax.
Hospital chiefs are yet to reveal what would happen to the huge infirmary site.
It is thought it is likely to be sold for housing.
Mrs Walker said the whole plan would have been scrapped if Labour had formed a government.
“They talk about compassionate care in the proposals, but this is not compassionate at all,” she said.
“The government has found £1.5bn to secure 10 votes from the DUP but when it comes to finding money for local healthcare there is none.
“I’m absolutely appalled at these latest proposals.
“There’s a large reduction in beds at a time when there aren’t enough – how’s that going to work?
“290,000 people are going to have what is a cottage hospital, I’m just outraged.
“It’s time to throw it out and start again from scratch and see what the people of Huddersfield need.”
Mrs Walker said she would be attending the crunch Joint Health Scrutiny Committee (JHSC) council meeting at Huddersfield Town Hall at 10.30am on Friday, to urge councillors to step in and refer the plans for independent review.
She has vowed to write another letter to Secretary of State for Health, Jeremy Hunt and is hoping Shadow