REPAIR works have been carried out at a hospital after Councillors deemed parts of the facility "disgusting."

The NHS plans to close Shipley Hospital and transfer services to other facilities next year. Detailing the need for the closure, a recent report said the facility is under used, and that the site would be sold for re-development.

But when these closure plans were discussed by Bradford Council's Health and Social Care Scrutiny Committee earlier this month, some members accused the NHS of deliberately allowing the building to become run down.

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They had been on a visit of the building a few days before the meeting, and told NHS representatives that they had been horrified with what they saw.

Services such as radiology, physiotherapy and counselling are provided on the first floor, but upper floors are vacant.

I couldn't believe my eyes. I genuinely wouldn't keep prisoners there" - Councillor Robert Hargreaves

At the meeting members said that on these upper floors they encountered overflowing toilets, despite the floor apparently being closed off, and a crumbling roof that had allowed water to seep into the building. Councillor Robert Hargreaves (Cons, Queensbury) said: "I couldn't believe my eyes. I genuinely wouldn't keep prisoners there."

Councillors criticise 'disgusting' conditions at hospital

The Bradford District Clinical Commissioning Group has now sent a letter to members of the committee to inform them that although the closure plans are still being progressed, work has been done to repair the building.

The letter says that ceiling tiles on the ground floor have been replaced, adding: "Staff from Bradford Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust have risk assessed the ground floor – including health and safety and infection control - and the issues identified were consistent with the areas identified by NHSPS but they were reassured that there are no current risks to patients safety.

"With regard to the vacant first floor area of the property, the NHSPS team were on site at the beginning of August addressing a number of urgent issues. These included a deep clean, replacement of damaged ceiling tiles, removal of toilets, patch repairs to the roof, and the restoration of lighting to the stair areas. The first floor area is now signed as 'restricted access' and the lock has been changed to ensure that there is no unauthorised access.

This goes to show what an important role scrutiny committees play, if it wasn’t for the fact that some of the committee members attended a visit to the hospital before the committee meeting, these repairs may not have happened" - Councillor Vanda Greenwood

“As a result of these repairs, we are reassured that Shipley Hospital is fit to continue delivering patient services from the ground floor area.”

Councillor Vanda Greenwood (Lab, Windhill and Wrose) is Chair of the Scrutiny Committee. After receiving the letter she told the Telegraph & Argus: "I am satisfied that the necessary work has been undertaken in order to make the place safe, and more importantly, there has been a full health & safety infection control risk assessment carried out, although I appreciate that this is a short term fix.

"This goes to show what an important role scrutiny committees play, if it wasn’t for the fact that some of the committee members attended a visit to the hospital before the committee meeting, these repairs may not have happened."

"I would like to thank NHS property services for their swift action, and await the results of the public consultation in the coming months."

A consultation into the planned closure is due to begin next month, and the facility could be shut by April 2020.

Services would be moved to other sites, including St Lukes and Eccleshill Community Hospital.