TWENTY six new beds will be opened at Wharfedale Hospital within the next few weeks.

The move, part of Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust's winter strategy, will see part of an empty ward - the Bilberry Unit - at the Otley hospital opened this month.

The unit will take older patients from St James' University Hospital or Leeds General Infirmary (LGI) who have completed their period of acute care and are awaiting discharge.

The beds are being provided through an agreement between the Trust and local home care provider Villa Care Group, and will be operational for six months.

The move has been welcomed by MP Greg Mulholland (Lib Dem, Leeds North West) and councillors who have been campaigning with him for the hospital to be better used.

He said: "For too long Wharfedale Hospital has been severely under-used when it could, and should, be a fantastic facility for the local community - with many patients forced to go into hospital in Leeds when they didn't need to.

"Using this previously empty ward will alleviate some of the pressure on St James’ and the LGI, so it makes sense that, with the additional winter demand, Wharfedale Hospital is used to its full potential and supports local residents.

"This, whilst being very welcome, is of course a temporary measure but we will continue to campaign for these beds to be used permanently."

Councillor Sandy Lay (Lib Dem, Otley & Yeadon) said: "Clearly I'm pleased the Trust are opening beds and I welcome the reopening of the ward.

"However, as an NHS worker I would have preferred a NHS provider but I'm not going to 'cut off my nose to spite my face' by condemning private provision in a public health service - because in reality many of my community don't care who delivers the care so long as it's 'free at the point of care'.

"My job as their representative, however, requires me to hold the Trust and Villa Care to account to ensure the best use of monies, facilities and care are provided.

"Accordingly I'll be asking them for a meeting to better understand what they are proposing and asking patients, families and staff to keep me informed of the quality of service provided."

Chief Nurse and Deputy Chief Executive at Leeds Teaching Hospitals, Professor Suzanne Hinchliffe, says the move should help ease some of the winter pressures.

She said: “This is a very welcome development and we are very pleased to have secured the funding through the West Yorkshire Acceleration Zone - a new initiative looking at improving urgent and emergency care across the county -

working in conjunction with our local CCGs and NHS Improvement.

"The Bilberry Unit will help free up beds at St James’ and LGI to meet an increase in demand during the winter period, and will mean that patients who no longer need acute hospital care can continue to be well cared for in an

excellent facility while arrangements are being put in place elsewhere."

Nursing and care staff on the unit will be provided by Villa Care Group, with the Trust's therapy staff plus local GPs also providing patient support.