AN ONGOING consultation into the future of community health services in Craven will see an information session taking place in Skipton next week.

The three month consultation, to the end of February, is also looking at the future of Castleberg Hospital, Giggleswick, which closed suddenly following safety fears in April last year.

The consultation is considering two options - to continue to provide inpatient care in the community and to repair and restore Castleberg Hospital; or to close Castleberg and provide an enhanced range of care in people’s homes or in an alternative community setting.

A series of drop in events is taking place, with some already taken place in Bentham and in Settle.

The next will be on Tuesday (February 6) at Skipton Town Hall, from 10am to 12 midday; and on Thursday, February 22, at Gargrave Village Hall, from 6pm to 8pm.

The three-month consultation, launched by NHS Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) in November, includes community services for adults who need rehabilitation or additional support to prevent them becoming acutely unwell or care when they are nearing the end of their lives.

The formal consultation follows a 'period of engagement' held last summer when people were asked to share their thoughts on the best way to consult, and their thoughts around what matters most to them. Nearly 300 people gave their views during the engagement which was used to plan the main consultation and shape the two options being consulted on.

Full details on the consultation including dates and times of all drop-in sessions are available on the CCG website at: airedalewharfedalecravenccg.nhs.uk/get-involved/give-us-your-views-consultations/

The consultation will run until February 27, with a final decision expected in May.