An elderly care ward at Wharfedale Hospital has been deemed surplus to requirements – paving the way for its closure.

The news about Ward 1, confirmed by Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust this week, has been widely condemned with one resident branding it “a tragedy for Otley”.

The Trust insists it is working hard to find an alternative use for the ward. But it also confirmed, echoing information the Wharfedale & Aireborough Observer received from staff last week, that it has decided it no longer needs to provide elderly care there.

A Trust spokesman said: “We have been keeping staff and stakeholders informed about multi-agency discussion over the future of Ward 1.

“The Trust needs to make about £60 million savings this year and a further £40 million each year for the foreseeable future, so difficult decisions will be increasingly necessary.

“We have determined that the current level of service we provide for older adults can be maintained without using Ward 1.

“We do, however, recognise how highly regarded Wharfedale Hospital is and have been working with other organisations to determine whether there is an alternative use for the ward.”

Charlie McEwan was part of a protest by concerned residents outside the hospital in April. She said: “This is a tragedy for Otley. I find it very sad that yet again the needs of the community are overlooked and deemed irrelevant by managers in Leeds.

“What alternative use can be found when what this community, with a large elderly population, needs is a ward where local people can receive a high standard of care?

“Our elderly will be shunted to Leeds, dumped on inappropriate wards, left feeling isolated and unwanted, and will not receive the holistic care to enable them to improve and return home.”

Politicians of all parties also attacked the announcement.

Otley’s MP Greg Mulholland (Lib Dem, Leeds North West) will present a letter of protest to a Trust representative at the hospital at 1pm tomorrow and hopes others will join him at the entrance at 12.45pm.

Mr Mulholland, a member of Support Wharfedale Hospital Camp-aign, said: “I am deeply concerned that the Trust has now confirmed it will not continue to run the one remaining elderly ward at the hospital. It is only a few years since it closed the other ward without consulting people, and there will be real concern about what this means for the future.”

Councillor Colin Campbell (Lib Dem, Otley & Yeadon), said: “Once again the Trust is attempting to stealthily remove a service from Wharfedale Hospital. Their casual disregard for the feelings of local people is astonishing.

“They simply look at numbers and claim that because the service is available elsewhere the old and frail will just have to travel.”

Town councillor Kevin Cooney (Lab, West Chevin) said: “Against the backdrop of the Government saying the NHS budget is ‘protected’, this doesn’t add up.”

Councillor Graham Kirkland (Lib Dem, Otley & Yeadon) said: “The city bosses are setting about a systematic withdrawal of services and centralising everything in the city centre. But many people will find just getting there a mammoth task.”