THE local health watchdog has called on doctors and nurses to voice their opposition to plans to merge Craven's primary health care with Harrogate.

Consultation on the plan has been described as a farce because there is only one option - the Harrogate merger - open to discussion.

The watchdog chairman urged GPs, nurses, consultants and all involved in the delivery of health care to try to block the merger.

"If this is consultation then I fear for the future representation of Craven. Public opinion will be the only thing to sway the bureaucrats involved in this farce," said Peter Putwain, chairman of the Airedale Community Health Council.

He said typical of the way a merger with Harrogate was being "railroaded" through was the fact that the CHC, Government's official watchdog for local health provision, received a request for comments on Friday July 6 - with a deadline of Monday July 9!

Mr Putwain has called for the consultation to be postponed or abandoned because there is insufficient public support for a Harrogate merger.

However North Yorkshire Health Authority said all comments would be forwarded to the Secretary of State for Health, and if the Craven community was opposed to the merger then that would be communicated to the Minister who would make the decision.

The issue has arisen with the decision to turn primary care groups, consisting of doctors, health visitors, therapists and social services into larger primary care trusts, which control budgets to "buy" hospital and other services.

A merger with Harrogate will not mean Craven patients are treated in Harrogate, but opponents fear it will threaten Airedale Hospital in the longer term.

Mr Putwain wants Craven to continue to exist as an autonomous authority, controlling its own budget to commission hospital services through Airedale Primary Care Group.

The CHC believes there is "very little support from Craven GPs". Doctors at the Fisher Medical Centre in Skipton were unanimous in condemning the proposal last year.

But last month, when asked by the Craven Herald if they now supported or maintained their opposition to a Harrogate merger, practice manager Jenny Hutchinson declined to express an opinion one way or another.

"Craven is being whiplashed into a merger with Harrogate. It is time doctors, consultants, nurses, everyone put their heads over the parapet and put their opposition to the plans strongly, otherwise the bureaucrats will win," said Mr Putwain.

"Let's face it, what sort of consultation is there when there's only one option provided? Unless we kick up a real stink, then the bureaucrats won't listen to us."

In its letter to North Yorkshire Health Authority, Mr Putwain points out that the document does not ask for consultation on any other configuration except on the model of a Craven/Harrogate merger but the CHC has three other options.

Dr Gavin McBurney, speaking for North Yorkshire Health Authority, said it was proper consultation and Mr Putwain's comments were unfair.

"We have received a proposal from Craven PCG and we are obliged to consult the public on it. At the end of the consultation process every single submission will be sent to the Secretary of State with a detailed assessment. He will consider the information and make the decision," said Dr McBurney.

A series of meetings have been arranged in Craven for August, and will take place in Skipton, Settle, Ingleton and Glusburn. "I would urge people to come and query the PCG on its plans and then make up their minds," he added.