"Stop keeping us in the dark" over health crisis

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 25th Jan 2005

Cllr Greg Mulholland, Lib Dem Parliamentary Spokesperson for Leeds North West has urged health bosses in Leeds to come clean over provision of hospital facilities.

Cllr Mulholland has been contacted by staff and public over the crisis of funding of the Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust which has seen wards closed in other parts of the city and operations cancelled in January. Leeds City Council leaders have been very critical of the way even they have not informed about the mounting health crisis in Leeds.

There has so far been no clear statement of how the Trust plans to deal with a ?17 million debt and there are fears of further ward closures, cancellations and redundancies.

What does seem, clear, however, is that longer term plans include the downgrading Leeds General Infirmary with many hospital functions moving to St James on the other side of the city and Cllr Mulholland has pointed to a wider concern for people in West and North West Leeds. "For anyone who lives on the North West or West side of the city, they will face having to travel to the other side of Leeds for many services they currently receive much closer to home".

Cllr Mulholland has now written to Neil McKay, the Chief Executive of Leeds Hospital Trust. Cllr Mulholland said "It is clear that at the moment, the public do not know what the future holds for our hospitals and the Trust must come clean about this. I am demanding answers so we can restore public confidence in the heath service in Leeds."

Cllr Greg Mulholland, Lib Dem Parliamentary Spokesperson has also called upon the Government to step and wipe away the huge debt faced by the Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust.

Says Cllr Mulholland, "The people of Leeds are extremely concerned about what is going on in Leeds with wards closed, nurses laid off and operations cancelled. The only way to resolve this is for the Government to step in and pay off the debt, or the effects on hospital services could be devastating."

Cllr Mulholland is planning to launch a health survey to give Leeds North West residents the chance to have their say, "It's time people were told the truth about hospital provision in Leeds. I also think it is time they had their say on the issue. As a result of this chaos, I also will now be writing to everyone in Leeds North West with a health survey so they can air their views on this crucial issue".