Huddersfield Royal Infirmary A&E move consultation announced

Huddersfield Royal Infirmary could be demolished and replaced with a new facility at Acre Mill without an A&E. Emergency care would be available at Calderdale Royal Hospital in Halifax

Plans to demolish Huddersfield Royal Infirmary and replace it with a new facility with no A&E are to be subject to a public consultation.

A report in January revealed changes that NHS bosses have since said could save £31m.

The views of patients, staff and other interested parties would be sought in a 14-week NHS consultation from 15 March.

Demonstrations against closure have been staged and a petition has been signed by almost 60,000 supporters.

Actor Sir Patrick Stewart, who was born near Huddersfield, said in a tweet in January it would be a "grave mistake" to close the A&E department.

A draft consultation document has said demolishing the infirmary and relocating emergency services to Calderdale Royal in Halifax would cost £470m compared with £501m under proposals considered for Huddersfield.

A new hospital for planned care but no A&E would be built at Acre Mill in Huddersfield.

A protest against the plans was held last month

People in Huddersfield would have to be taken to Halifax, Wakefield or Barnsley for emergency treatment, or across the Peak District to Oldham or east Manchester.

The consultation is led by the NHS clinical commissioning groups for Calderdale and Greater Huddersfield and it is thought a final decision would not be made before October.

Dr Steve Ollerton, chairman of NHS Greater Huddersfield CCG, said: "We welcome the opportunity of having real discussions with people throughout the consultation and listening to their views."