OTLEY'S MP is backing calls for space at the town's hospital to be used for intermediate care beds.

Greg Mulholland (Lib Dem, Leeds North West) says it is 'disgraceful' that space on former wards at Wharfedale Hospital are not being fully used.

His comments follow those of Councillor Sandy Lay (Lib Dem, Otley & Yeadon) who recently announced he would be pushing for a meeting with health chiefs to discuss the

issue.

Both men were given reason to hope that care beds could be opened at the Otley hospital following Mr Mulholland's meeting with the Clinical Care Groups (CCGs) and Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust in December, 2015.

Nothing has happened to move that ambition closer in the intervening 12 months, however, and the MP is vowing to press Leeds South and East CCG and the Trust for

answers.

He said: "I am very disappointed that despite previous assurances a year ago we are still no closer to getting these two wards back into use.

"It is disgraceful that Wharfedale Hospital continues to be underused when it could and should be a fantastic facility for the local community.

"The lack of action from the CCGs, and NHS Trust, is very poor and I look forward to meeting with them to hear why there has been no progress on this vitally important issue.

"We are now looking at yet another winter without these extra beds when the space could and should have been used for intermediate care beds for older people, who will now continue to have to go into hospital in Leeds when they don't need to."

Cllr Lay added: “Like Greg I was bitterly disappointed when the promised inpatient beds did not materialise.

"Neither Greg nor I though are quitters though and we are more determined than ever to make this happen."

A spokesman for Leeds South and East CCG said: "Cllr Lay contacted us last month asking to meet with us to discuss intermediate care beds at Wharfedale; we replied to say we would be happy to do so.”