A COUNCIL has denied “sitting on the fence” as NHS services are centralised, leaving their residents facing lengthy journeys to get treatment and having to recover far from their communities.

The extent to which NHS services in parts of England’s largest county has dwindled was laid bare at a full meeting of North Yorkshire County Council, which is charged with examining NHS provision on behalf of residents.

During a debate about the Conservative-led authority’s response to proposals for changes to mental health services in the county, members were told the Friarage Hospital, in Northallerton, where in-patient mental health wards are set to close, had seen a litany of cuts in the last 15 years.

Councillor John Blackie said since 2003 the hospital had lost children’s surgery, stroke pathway, children’s accident and emergency, consultant-led maternity, paediatrics and gynaecology.

He added the hospital’s accident and emergency department had been demoted to an urgent care centre, with overnight cases sent to Darlington Memorial Hospital or James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough.

The Upper Dales member said: “The mortuary has gone, sadly the relatives of people who pass away sometimes have to travel to James Cook to rescue their bodies. The pathology lab has gone, the switchboard has gone, the mental health wards have been reduced and now they are due to go. In 2003, the Friarage had 412 inpatient beds. Once the mental health wards are removed it will have 120 beds.

“It is time that we spoke as a county council, otherwise we will find almost all of North Yorkshire, except for secondary care, an NHS-free zone.”

Harrogate Bilton and Nidd Gorge councillor Geoff Webber said following meetings with the Tees, Esk and Wear Valley NHS Trust a move towards centralising services had become plain.

He said he was “very disappointed that this council has kept such a low profile on matters of such huge concern”.

Councillor Michael Harrison, the council’s executive member for adult social care and health integration, said the authority believed the key issue related to the amount of community mental health care, which preceded the need for acute beds.

Cllr Harrison confirmed the council’s response would be for its scrutiny of health committee to continue examining the issue and for its health and wellbeing board to host a summit later this month to examine the future of mental health services in the county.

He added: “I don’t think it is a case of us sitting on the fence. We are recognising the challenges that are out there and trying to promote the debate which gets us the best service for mental health, both community and acute, in the county.”