Walk out at public meeting June 6, 2016
They may or may not have discovered more if they'd stayed to the end, but a substantial portion of the public at the June 6, 2016 public meeting about hospital plans for Huddersfield had had enough and walked out after 90 minutes at the John Smith's Stadium.
It followed the suggestion by Unison regional union official Natalie Ratcliffe that those not in favour of the proposals should do so.
The intolerance of the plan put forward by health officials on the platform had been showing earlier when NHS Calderdale and Kirklees consultant in emergency medicine Mark Davies was not allowed to finish his answer, which he had appealed for the audience to listen to in full, which he started: "I can't tell you that nobody will die on the Elland by-pass but I can tell you that the service they get when they get there will be ..." He was drowned out by a cacophony of muted laughter, despair and groans of disbelief from the floor.
Health officials on the platform got through 20 of 26 questions pre-selected by independent chairman Richard Horsman, Leeds Trinity University associate principle lecturer in broadcast journalism, for the ticket-only event. Raised hands in the conference room showed very little support for plans which would see the end of Accident and Emergency services at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary with only an 'Urgent Care' centre in its place.
The earlier meeting at the Stadium in April had also seen resounding opposition to the proposals, with the vast majority of those present wanting to see a 'Plan B'. Read more about the previous meeting on the
Details of the official consultation document can be found at the www.rightcaretimeplace.co.uk website. Members of the public, patients and staff have until June 21, 2016 to make their views known.
Also in the archive
Health Secretary to visit Kirklees hospitals. See
Hospital plans to be referred to minister. See
Calls for 'Plan B' at public meeting. See
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