Changes to A&E take effect at hospitals

CHANGES TO hospital accident and emergency services have taken effect after three years of planning.

Care of the most seriously ill A&E patients has been centralised at Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield.

Dewsbury’s A&E department has been downgraded to an urgent care centre treating more minor ailments.

The plan raised safety fears over longer journey times to hospital.

But NHS bosses insisted the changes would improve safety by getting the most serious emergencies to specialist care more quickly at the beefed-up Pinderfields A&E.

Jules Preston, chairman of Mid Yorkshire Hospitals Trust, said: “By making these changes, we are creating services that are better able to meet local needs and future demand.

“We are looking to invest in our hospitals and are in the middle of working up multi-million-pound plans to develop Dewsbury and District Hospital in the years ahead.”

Mid Yorkshire said its three hospitals were still offering urgent care and tests including xrays, blood tests and scans.

The future of Pontefract Hospital’s emergency department is also under review as part of a further planned shake-up.

NHS bosses could cease 24-7 A&E provision at the hospital and downgrade it to an urgent care centre.