STAFF working at Airedale Hospital have "major concerns" over the hospital's new £10 million mental health facility.

The unit, which is currently under construction at the Steeton site and which should be open by Christmas, will free up mental health wards four, 11 and 12.

But, in a letter to the Herald, staff claiming to work on these wards and ward 24, which will remain on the main site, said: "We have been told by senior managers at Bradford that the wards will again be mixed which we believe is going against the Government's own guidelines recommending that all acute admission wards should be single sex.

"Also a major concern to all staff is the safety of our elderly patients, who we have been told will have to mix with the under 65 patients.

"We would like to say that we find this inherently dangerous for the elderly patients considering some of the younger clients on the psychiatric wards exhibit behaviour that can be both violent and abusive."

Staff also claim there is drug dealing and use on the wards. "In an atmosphere like this we believe elderly patients would be vulnerable and open to abuse," they added.

The letter ended: "The vast majority of nurses and doctors are very unhappy regarding the changes made to in-patient psychiatric services at Airedale Hospital."

The letter came after bosses from Bradford District Care Trust reassured local residents the new 60-bed facility would "significantly reduce the risk of patients leaving a hospital ward and harming themselves".

Addressing Steeton-with-Eastburn Parish Council last month, senior manager for mental health Des Crowley confirmed the facility would include separate sex bedrooms with en-suite facilities.

He highlighted it was proving difficult to provide a service at present as patients had to leave wards to access facilities. Staff did not always have the opportunity to talk to them and were, therefore, unable to decide whether it was appropriate for them to leave.

"This new development gives us the opportunity to do things in a different way," he added.

He told members the new build would incorporate just one entrance and exit, which would have a 24-hour monitored security area.

Patients' whereabouts would be checked hourly. He also said the facility would include a gym, interfaith room, therapy area, art room, computer room, shop and a kitchen for baking.

Interview rooms would also be available to bring specialist staff in to help patients get back into the community.

A spokesman for the trust said: "Patients will be treated appropriately, according to their condition and needs rather than their age, in line with the trust's strategic goal.

"We are aware of one issue raised by a member of staff several weeks ago regarding the mix of adults of a working age and older people.

"This was raised using the proper processes and is being dealt with accordingly to ensure that the unit provides the appropriate environment and level of care for all service users and that they are able to benefit as a citizen regardless of their age."

He added: "This is a new service for the district and will allow patients currently being treated out of the area to be cared for within our services, closer to their homes, families and friends.

"The unit has been designed to stop patients leaving the grounds and harming themselves. The issue of patients from Airedale throwing themselves under trains on the nearby Keighley to Skipton railway line has led to sharp criticism in the past."