HEALTH chiefs are within days of coming up with the best site for a new Wharfedale General Hospital.

A specially chosen group of health representatives has spent the last few weeks placing in order of importance the requirements for the chosen site - including whether it is a popular local choice and its accessibility by public transport.

And now the six strong team, taken from the Leeds Health Authority, the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, and the new Primary Care Groups (PCGs), are shortly expected to come up with the site that best fulfils all the requirements.

Once the preferred site has been chosen - either in Otley, at the current site in Newall Carr Road, on land next to Garnett's mill off Pool Road, or at Menston at the High Royds Hospital site - the health trust will have to seek private backing through the Private Finance Initiative (PFI).

Mike Ramsden, who was named chief executive of Leeds Health Authority last month, said yesterday that the best site would be known possibly within the next week.

But he added more discussions would have to take place with local MPs and other bodies before the site could be revealed probably in early summer and ahead of more public consultation.

"We have asked the Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust to analyse the site options prior to further consultations. There are a lot of stages to go through yet but the first of these stages should be within the next week or so," said Mr Ramsden.

Mr Ramsden, who as the health authority's director of corporate affairs was instrumental in fighting for a replacement Wharfedale General, said the plus and minus points of each possible site had been weighed up.

"The pros and cons of each site have been analysed and hopefully by the early summer we will be able to make some further announcements," he said.

Mr Ramsden added he realised that people wanted to know that work on a new hospital was progressing but that he could not say whether work would actually start in June next year as had originally been suggested.

"It is impossible to say whether work will begin on site by then, there is an awful lot of work to be done." he said.

But he added that the health authority was still very firmly committed to providing a new hospital for the people of Wharfedale.

"It remains a very high priority for the Leeds Health Authority to ensure a replacement for Wharfedale General Hospital," said Mr Ramsden.

The group set up to look at each possible site has been looking at access by pedestrians, cars and public transport, the local community, accessibility, public support, affordability of the building and running costs and scope for possible future development.

It has also looked at the availability of each site, its integration with community facilities and the environmental and social impact.

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