An action group is maintaining its fight to keep Ward 24 at Airedale Hospital open.

Designs for a new dementia service at Lynfield Mount Hospital in Bradford – which would see the closure of the Airedale facility – have been approved by the district care trust.

But campaigners say they have become “increasingly dissatisfied” with the trust’s handling of the situation. “We are not confident this project is right or it is being done properly,” said the Reverend David Griffiths, chairman of the Ward 24 Carers Action Group.

“Bradford District Care Trust (BDCT), to its credit, has developed a good facility on Ward 24, which is light and very spacious with a well-motivated, caring staff. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it – keep it!”

The group says shifting the facility to Lynfield Mount would mean it is in the wrong location and would involve needless expense. Some service users live as far north as Ingleton, so would face an extremely long journey on public transport.

BDCT argues basing the facility at Lynfield Mount will create a ‘centre of excellence’ in older people’s mental-health services.

The new unit – which should be up and running by May 2015 – would comprise 22 en-suite rooms and feature doors and handrails in bright, contrasting colours.