The threat of a merger between health services in Airedale and Bradford has reared its head again in the light of new NHS rules.

Government policy on how health care is provided could see Airedale Hospital stripped of its services, leaving it with the bare minimum.

This could then lead to a merger between the remains of hospital trusts at Airedale and Bradford.

This was the picture painted by Airedale NHS Trust's chief executive Robert Allen, who added that it could see many health services being taken out of local control.

Mr Allen was addressing members of the Airedale Community Health Council (CHC) on how the Government's white paper on the NHS could affect the trust in future years.

He asked: "If our community services and mental health services are taken from us, can Airedale General Hospital stay on its own as a trust?"

"It may have to merge with Bradford Hospitals Trust, we don't know yet."

Under new guidelines being issued by health bosses, health services being managed by one big trust could be a thing of the past.

Community nursing, school nursing and health visitors are already being handed over to the newly forming primary care trusts, made up of doctor's practices.

And mental health facilities would be managed by a specially-created new trust.

"What the Government does not like is trusts like Airedale which provide mental health along with other things, which is a pity, because we're quite happy to compare our services with others," said Mr Allen.

"We're quite proud of the fact that anything in Airedale is of a very high quality and we think these standards are worth keeping.

"But that sort of track record is irrelevant when it comes to Government policy. We think there's every prospect of the people of Airedale losing locally managed services."

Mr Allen added that it was the Airedale NHS Trust's view that everything should be run from one organisation, locally, for the benefit of local people.

He also revealed that, with a population of 52,200, the soon-to-be-created Craven Primary Care Trust could not stand on its own and would have to join with another trust.

He said talks with Selby trust had been broken off and the Craven group was now talking to its counterparts at Harrogate.

But he added that services would be better managed locally and a merger with Airedale Primary Care Trust would be the preferred option.

He was backed by CHC chairman Peter Putwain who said: "We've nothing in common with Harrogate.

"I still believe that our links are with Airedale and not going into some unholy alliance with anyone north of the Pennines."

CHC chief officer John Godward revealed that the organisation could vanish if health services were taken away.

"Airedale CHC will not exist if local decision making is taken away. There would be no point," he said.

Members were urged to look at whether the new proposals would improve services for patients before making their views known to NHS chiefs.

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