Stroke patients at Airedale Hospital are being driven to the brink of suicide because of the way their care is organised.

Joan Rigg says that putting elderly stroke patients on wards where there are mentally confused older people is causing them distress.

Mrs Rigg, from Embsay, says she was so concerned about the safety and well being of her sister that she contemplated staying in hospital to keep watch over her.

Trust chiefs announced this week that a dedicated stroke unit was being set up at the hospital to improve patient care.

Although the trust has a stroke team, patients over 70 are put on elderly medical wards, with people under that age allocated to general medical wards.

Mrs Rigg said: "You should go into hospital and feel better, but when someone comes into hospital and feels suicidal this is dreadful. My sister found herself on a ward that had many elderly and mentally confused patients who also needed specialist care. There was no privacy and no dignity.

"It got to the stage where I was going to bring a blanket in and stay to protect her. What I am concerned about is that there are patients on the ward who are probably feeling quite desperate.

"There are well trained and dedicated staff, but the nurses are so concerned about stopping people getting out they can't give any time to people who desperately need their care.

"I have no complaints about the nursing because they are doing their very best - it's the system."

Mrs Rigg added that after care in the community was provided to a very high standard.

Work on the new stroke unit - which is to be created on Ward 5 and will cost between £500,000-600,000 - is due to begin in May and be completed by September.

Director of planning and marketing Doug Farrow said the planned new unit would provide a more focused service for patients and would address the concerns raised by Mrs Rigg.

He said: "It will be a specialised service focusing on stroke patients, and there is additional Primary Care Trust funding to appoint a specialist stroke consultant."

The idea of a dedicated unit - which is in line with the model recommended by the British Stroke Association - was developed by the trust staff, GPs and patients .

l Health chiefs must overcome a financial stumbling block if a threatened cottage hospital is to be taken over.

Craven, Harrogate & Rural District Primary Care Trust, which commissions hospital services for Craven patients, has expressed an interest in taking over the running of Skipton Hospital from Airedale NHS Trust.

Trust bosses have met to discuss the hand over, but they have yet to agree about who would receive the cash from any future sale of hospital land to property developers.

This is particularly important to Airedale NHS Trust, which would not receive any money from the transfer of the buildings to the PCT.

Chief executive Bob Allen said: "Craven wishes to take over the running of Skipton, Castleberg Hospital at Settle and Settle Health Centre, which is in line with government policy.

"It is not straight forward and there are various clinical and financial things to be resolved."

Airedale NHS Trust directors say that providing services in the existing hospital sites at Skipton, Coronation Hospital in Ilkley and Bingley Hospital is not cost effective.

They are working with health bosses from Airedale PCT and Craven, Harrogate & Rural District PCT on proposals to be put to public consultation in the coming months.

Campaigners say Skipton Hospital should be saved as it provides a range of specialist services, including rehabilitation for patients in Keighley and Craven.