Campaigners have vowed to continue their battle to keep a specialist dementia care ward at Airedale Hospital.
Members of an action group opposing plans to shift Ward 24 to Lynfield Mount Hospital in Bradford met with district care trust bosses on Monday to discuss the issue.
Group chairman, the Rev David Griffiths, said afterwards: “It was a cordial meeting but the trust stood its ground and said it was still intending to move the ward.
“We are going to continue to fight against the decision.
“The catchment area for Ward 24 stretches right up into the Yorkshire Dales. People living in villages such as Grassington already face a long journey, and if they don’t have their own transport that involves multiple buses.
“If they had to travel all the way to Lynfield Mount it would be a nightmare.”
The action group has an online petition – change.org/ en-GB/petitions/simon-large-to-keep-ward-24-open – objecting to the proposals.
The trust says moving Ward 24 to a purpose-built facility at Lynfield Mount Hospital by spring 2015 is part of a wider plan to transform older people’s care.
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