Hospital bosses have been accused of breaking promises to patients over the controversial closure of a specialist hospital near Bradford.

Worried patients have been joined by a top consultant in claiming hospital care will be damaged by plans for new changes to the Woodlands Suite at Bradford Royal Infirmary set up following the closure of Woodlands Orthopaedic Hospital, Rawdon, three years ago.

Under the changes, male patients recovering from serious operations mainly for joint and spinal problems will be moved from a ward specially created to meet their needs and on to a trauma ward. There are fears that orthopaedic patients will be put at greater risk from infection by the move and their recovery will also be affected on the trauma ward which is busier and noisier.

Hospital bosses have claimed the changes, due to be implemented at Easter, will improve services, enabling the hospital to keep in step with advances in care. And they say fears over increased risks of infection are unproved.

Patient Mike Turner, 52, of Wyke, Bradford, who left the Woodlands Suite on Saturday following three weeks of treatment on knee joint replacements, said he was shocked by the changes.

He feared patients would be put at greater risk of cross infection particularly from MRSA, a bug common in hospitals which can lead to amputation in rare cases.

"The Woodlands Suite is self-contained so there was less chance of MRSA spreading but now obviously that will change.

"This will have a detrimental effect on male orthopaedic patients - a totally new environment and I personally think a very hostile one."

Consultant surgeon Mr Keith Jepson said he had been surprised to hear of the decision.

"It's in complete contravention of what was agreed," he said.

"The plan is to mix elective patients and trauma patients and I consider that is placing the elective patients at greater risk of infection particularly MRSA.

But a hospital spokesman said there was no evidence mixing trauma and elective patients increased risk of infection and infection control was always a top priority at Bradford's hospitals.

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