Nine out of 10 people who currently receive treatment at PGI will continue to get treatment in the new hospital. The vast majority of services will remain at Pontefract.

We are already providing outpatient services with inpatient rehabilitation opening later this month. In the spring, local people will benefit from new, additional services such as MRI scanning and renal dialysis for kidney patients.

In January 2011 the 24/7 consultant-led accident and emergency department, beds for medical patients and day and short stay surgery will also open.

Across all our hospitals, we are ensuring we provide the best models of care and widest possible range of services for local people. The number of hospital beds across the country has been steadily and deliberately reduced and replaced with more modern and quicker ways of providing services, including more day procedures, without the need to stay in hospital overnight.

This means we can see more patients in fewer beds, offer state-of-the-art services and facilities and deliver best value to the taxpayer.
Local people are benefiting from investments by NHS Wakefield in intermediate care and community services. These help avoid the need for hospital care and reduce the time patients spend in hospital by providing treatment and care for people closer to, and in, their homes.
This is what people have been telling us they want.

There is no "massive redundancy" programme. We truly value our staff and the work they do to provide high quality care. In these restricted financial times we should, and will, ensure that the taxpayer's pound is spent to best effect for patients.

The new hospitals are long awaited and well overdue and I am delighted local people are already accessing local services in fantastic new facilities, less than 18 months after we signed the contracts.

JULIA SQUIRE
Chief Executive
The Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust