THE boss of the Airedale National Health Service (NHS) Trust has urged Ilkley residents to help fight plans to hive of part of its functions and responsibilities to Harrogate and Bradford.

Government health bosses want some health services to be more closely attached to local authority social

services departments.

But this would mean a split in Airedale's catchment area because it covers more than one local authority.

Under the new arrangements some services, such as community nurses, have been taken away from Airedale and given to new Primary Care Trusts (PCT).

But Airedale chief executive Robert Allen believes that the changes will not benefit what he believes is the 'natural community' served by the hospital, especially if other services such as mental health are also taken away.

Since 1970, when it was built, all the health services in an area stretching from Ribblehead in the Dales, to the

village of Wilsden, near Bingley, have been run from Airedale Hospital at Steeton, near Keighley.

Under the proposed new structure it has been suggested that because it is too small to stand on its own, the Craven health area should merge with Harrogate.

But Mr Allen believes that hiving off the Craven PCT would result in the Airedale PCT being linked much more closely with Bradford, leading to a loss of influence at the hospital at Steeton.

"The health power base would be directed by Harrogate on the one hand and Bradford on the other," Mr Allen told a meeting of Ilkley Parish Council this week.

He added: "This natural health community is in danger of being split into two - we are furious about that and we think it is totally wrong. This isn't an argument about my job it is about preserving the power in the valley - not being run by Bradford or Harrogate."

This week the breast screening service returns to Airedale Hospital after a shortage of staff led to it being transferred temporarily to Bradford.

Mr Allen told parish councillors that if the health changes proposed by the Government were already in place, he believed that the clinic would have stayed in Bradford.

"If Craven links with Harrogate, Airedale would link into Bradford. No longer would there be a power base in the valley to look after health care," said Mr Allen.

Parish Councillor Mike Lynes told Mr Allen that he supported the principle of independent health care in the Wharfe and Aire Valleys and pointed out that the history of this area's relationship with Bradford was a poor one.

Parish Council chairman Lexa Robinson, a former member of the health watchdog for the area, The Airedale Community Health Council, said she feared that Airedale Hospital was in danger of being 'asset stripped' of its services and expertise.

Parish councillors said they were prepared to help in the campaign to prevent services being split up.

Chairman elect Michael Gibbons said: "There is a considerable level of support to keep the situation as it is."