CONTROVERSIAL proposals to cut mental health beds at High Royds Hospital in Menston have been blocked by health watchdogs.

The Leeds Community and Mental Health Services Trust wants to close 22 acute admission beds at the hospital as part of planned changes in mental health care across the whole of Leeds.

The trust is facing a £12 million deficit and planned the bed closures ahead of the approved closure of the hospital in two years time as part of a cost saving exercise.

But the proposals have angered the Leeds Community Health Council which is calling on further consultation before any far reaching changes take place.

Colin Perry, chief officer of the LCHC, said: "We have no guarantee that patient care would not be affected if these cuts were to take place. We would also emphasise the level of care is currently very stretched."

He said the council was calling on Leeds Health Authority and the trust to maintain existing services and to carry out a formal consultation before any significant changes take place.

"We are asking the health authority to hold a consultation with all interested parties and for public meetings to be held to discuss all the options," said Mr Perry.

He said the trust may decide to drop the proposals instead of holding a public consultation and explore other options to solve the £12 million deficit.

"We don't feel it is appropriate to solve the deficit by hitting vulnerable patients in a service that is already stretched. There are likely to be alternatives and they have to look at other options," he added.

The opposition by the CHC has been welcomed by Aireborough MP Paul Truswell who is calling for a top level meeting with health chiefs to discuss the proposals.

He said: "The CHC are absolutely right to have taken the step that they have. It is totally unacceptable to close the beds at a time when they are operating totally beyond their capacity.

"I am anxious to convene a meeting with Zahida Manzoor, the chairman of the Northern and Yorkshire Regional NHS Executive, and the health authority to try and avert the proposals."

Mr Truswell added it was important to stop the closure of beds in the short term to be given time to consider a long term strategy.

"We are hoping to have the meeting in the next couple of weeks," he added.

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