CAMPAIGNERS fighting for a 'worthwhile' hospital in Otley are being urged to make their voices heard.

A last minute appeal for as many people as possible to attend the Leeds Health Authority meeting being held on Friday at 2pm at The Village Hotel, Leeds, has been put out by Otley town councillors.

It follows a one to one meeting held on Tuesday between a consultant surgeon called in to review proposed services at the planned new hospital at Garnett's Mill and town Councillor Jim Spencer.

Councillors are furious that promises made for the new hospital two years ago by the then health minister John Dobson, as well as the health trust, appear to have been broken and that the recent public consultation has been totally inadequate.

Councillor Phil Coyne (Lab, Otley and Wharfedale) said: "We need as many people as possible to go to the meeting and show how outraged they are about the breaking of promises made by the health minister down.

"People need to know that there are only ten beds proposed for this clinic, there will be no opportunity for people under 65 to return to the Otley hospital."

Councillor Jim Spencer (Lib Dem, West Chevin) managed to spend 30 minutes with Manchester consultant surgeon Gerry Lemon on Tuesday putting the case of the town council.

Mr Lemon has been called in by the health authority to decide whether the advice given by the health trust that overnight surgery should not be carried out at the new Wharfedale hospital is

reasonable.

The town council argues that people in Wharfedale would be better served by a hospital able to carry out overnight surgery, allowing local people to recover on their own doorsteps, and which could be adapted to meet changing trends in treatment.

Coun Spencer said he had been pleased with the meeting with Mr Lemon and believed that a solution could be found.

He added that he believed if a petition was organised in Otley calling for a more fulsome consultation it would be supported by the majority of people in the town.

"I feel that the way the review has been carried out has been disgraceful. I really think that people have not been consulted and that we have been blocked all the way along the line."

A spokesman for Leeds Health Authority said tomorrow's meeting was being held to discuss the modernisation of the NHS and the implications for the people across the whole of Leeds. "People do have a right to have a say and we would welcome the attendance of anyone who would like to come along."

He added that the public consultation in Wharfedale had been extensive and had included a public meeting, an exhibition and the production of 10,000 leaflets.

"We held public meetings in each of the Primary Care Group (PCG) areas. In Wharfedale we printed specially prepared summaries which we delivered to households."

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