Shock as Dewsbury coronary unit closes

A hospital coronary unit has closed - just 24 hours after NHS bosses announced it would be shut down.

Patients will be taken to Wakefield for treatment following the closure of the Coronary Care Unit at Dewsbury and District Hospital yesterday.

Coronary care has been centralised at Pinderfields Hospital as part of a programme of changes to NHS services which was first announced two years ago.

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Mid Yorkshire Hospitals Trust said centralising coronary care at Pinderfields was always part of the plan - but trust bosses only made their first public announcement about the timing of the move on Wednesday.

Caroline Griffiths, Mid Yorkshire’s director of corporate planning, said: “We have taken the opportunity to make this change early in the programme as it represents a better service for our patients.”

Mid Yorkshire said letters were sent to GPs and it was discussed at public meetings and council overview and scrutiny committees.

But Dewsbury MP Paula Sherriff said: “I am very concerned that Dewsbury is losing vital services and that once again changes are being made with almost no notice.

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“We know that these are challenging times for Dewsbury Hospital and it is imperative that we are fully informed of all the changes that will be made in the coming months.”

Previously, people who arrived at A&E with conditions like heart attacks or very slow or fast heart beats were taken to the unit. They will now be transferred the same day to Pinderfields.

Mid Yorkshire said the move would speed up care because patients would no longer be admitted to Dewsbury, then transferred to Pinderfields for procedures.

People with the most serious heart conditions will continue to be taken straight to Leeds General Infirmary.