THE future of Ilkley's Coronation Hospital and its services could be decided before the end of this year, health bosses have told a meeting in the town.

The Chief Executive of Airedale NHS Trust, Bob Allen, and Keith Ellis, of Airedale Primary Care Trust, told a special parish council meeting last Wednesday that they had yet to decide which services they intended to keep in Ilkley.

They said changes had to be made because of a £1.6 million deficit between current service costs and income available for this financial year, and because new Government money was directed to be spent on set targets.

They pledged to bring their eventual plans back before a meeting of Ilkley people - but warned that the town might not like the plans.

Mr Allen spoke to parish councillors and more than 30 residents at Ilkley Town Hall. He said: "I hope we can reach firm conclusions before the end of this calendar year"

"From time to time, we have to make some hard choices. Do we maintain out-patient services at Ilkley, or develop a lifesaving stroke unit at Airedale, for example? We've got to make some changes somewhere.

Mr Allen said the trust would like to continue all services at the Coronation Hospital, or expand them, but claimed Government directives on service standards and the targeting of spending meant the trust had less local control over money.

"In Airedale at the moment, we're having difficulty meeting the standards as we don't have staff in Accident and Emergency. Few towns have a minor injuries unit, but Ilkley does. At the same time, we are being told to improve life-saving treatments," said Mr Allen.

He said the Airedale General Hospital also lacked a stroke unit.

Mr Ellis told the meeting that the PCT - which owned the Coronation Hospital building - wanted to have buildings 'suitable for the 21st century'. He said the PCT was looking into the possibility of extending the Springs Medical Centre to house some of the Coronation Hospital's services - although some at the meeting claimed the GPs believed there was not enough space.

Mr Ellis said: "We do intend to involve people in the debate about those services and what buildings we are going to use to provide them. The only thing absolutely clear is that we're not allowed to have a financial deficit."

The PCT is talking to bus companies about ways of improving public transport links from Ilkley to Airedale General, although no decision has been taken to move services from the town.

But a number of people attending last week's meeting questioned the reasons of Airedale NHS Trust and the PCT.

Former chairman of Bradford Health Authority, and former deputy director of NHS finance at the Department of Health, Dr Joan Firth, who lives in Ilkley, asked how making cuts at the Coronation Hospital would bring savings in this financial year, if they were not worked out until the end of this financial year

An occupational therapist working at the Coronation Hospital said moving services to other centres or creating new buildings to re-provide services could cost more than keeping the Coronation Hospital open.

Airedale NHS Trust is expected to meet with Bradford Social Services this week to discuss future provision of services.