Doctors have crossed the biggest hurdle in their bid to establish a new pharmacy in their village.

Bradford Health Authority has given the go-ahead for a pharmacy to be set up by Steeton Health Care Group at the village health centre.

But rivals - including a pharmacy group from Lancashire - could still have another stab at winning the business.

A BHA spokesman said: "The application for a pharmacy has been granted to Steeton Health Care Group but other contenders have a right to appeal to the National Family Health Service Appeal Authority within the next six months."

And a health centre spokesman said: "There is still a chance for people to appeal against the decision so it will be a little time longer before we can set up the pharmacy."

Burnley-based Pyramid Pharmacy and local businesswoman Janet Gibbons also applied to open new pharmacies.

The Steeton health centre already runs a GP dispensing business which doctors claimed would be hit if the health authority allowed a new pharmacy to be opened in the village.

Profits from dispensing - about £25,000 a year - are ploughed back into the business and help fund the health centre and a practice nurse as well as a receptionist.

Doctors were backed by villagers and Airedale Community Health Council, Steeton with Eastburn Parish Council and Keighley Labour MP Ann Cryer.

She said she was delighted the health authority had listened to the views of the villagers.

"This is good news. I know many people, many of whom were elderly or suffering long term illness, were genuinely fearful of reductions in the level of services at the health centre and worried about the difficulties of going further for prescriptions," she said.

One hundred and forty seven people wrote to her expressing their fears and many more wrote to the health authority, she added.

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