PM snubs plea to save our A&E

THE Prime Minister has snubbed another appeal to save Huddersfield Royal Infirmary.

At Prime Minister’s Questions Colne Valley MP Thelma Walker asked Theresa May if she would visit and step in to block the controversial plan to move virtually all care to Halifax.

She said: “Does the Prime Minister agree with me that as a result of the potential downgrading of Huddersfield Royal Infirmary, 479 professionals lost, over 300 hospital beds cut, and a 90-minute journey to the nearest A&E, are not in the best interests of my constituents.

“Will she meet with me to discuss the detrimental impact this will have on Colne Valley and the surrounding area?”

But Mrs May again batted the issue back to the clinical commissioning groups and hospital chiefs who have proposed the changes. She said: “Service changes should be based on clear evidence and they should be led by local clinicians who best understand what local health care needs are. “I understand that Calderdale and Kirklees councils have referred the proposed changes to my Right Honourable friend the Health Secretary and I know he’ll be considering those issues very carefully and will be coming to a decision in due course.”

The refusal to visit Huddersfield comes a few weeks after Mrs Walker’s appeal to Jeremy Hunt to visit Huddersfield Royal was also ignored.

Mr Hunt has also refused to visit Dewsbury and District Hospital, despite repeated requests from MPs Paula Sherriff and Tracy Brabin.

Writing on her Facebook page, Mrs Walker said she was disappointed with the response.

She said: “(Mrs May’s) answer shows clear ignorance of the situation here in Colne Valley and Huddersfield where the Kirklees Local Medical Committee (LMC), which represents more than 200 GPs locally, has described the plans as “irrational” and a threat to patient safety.

“The underhanded approach of forcing a minority of clinicians locally to make almost-impossible decisions in response to Government funding cuts are not going to divide our community and we remain united in opposition to these plans.”