PODIATRY patients in South Craven have been given more time to try to stop their service being moved to Skipton General Hospital.

A total of 750 patients who used the service received a letter last month stating that the podiatry service currently operating out of Cross Hills Health Centre would be moving to Skipton in September.

This week the health centre agreed to allow the service to continue to operate there until January 1, 2005.

The health centre had told Craven, Harrogate & Rural Primary Care Trust that it would no longer be able to use a room at the practice because of demands on space.

As a result the trust was forced to look for an alternative location for the service, but was unable to find anything within South Craven. Consequently patients were told they would need to travel to Skipton to access the service.

Since then patients and district councillors have been pressing the trust to spend more time trying to find a suitable alternative within South Craven.

Craven district councillor Philip Barrett said: "I am very pleased, it will give us the opportunity to work with the health centre and the PCT to find a location within South Craven. I'm just keen that we keep this provision in South Craven."

Dr Steve Pickles from Cross Hills Health Centre has informed CHARD and Craven District Council that it would allow the podiatry service to operate out of the practice until January 1 2005.

In a letter to the council Dr Pickles stated: "I would like to emphasise that it cannot just be a room here or there and that Portakabins cannot be placed anywhere without consideration of local health and safety, discrimination against disabled and various health and safety issues."

District councillor Roger Nicholson also voiced his support for the extended time.

Coun Nicholson told the Herald that he would be pushing for something that could be located as close to the health centre

The primary care trust has said that it will continue to work to try and find a compromise. Some of the requirements for a new location are disabled facilities, a waiting room area, a safe place to secure patients' notes and a safe place for health professionals to work in and for patients to receive treatment.

A public meeting will be held on August 17 at 6.30pm at St Peters Church Hall, Cross Hills to discuss public concerns over podiatry.